


No Promises

by OnesieQueen16



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-07
Updated: 2019-06-23
Packaged: 2020-01-06 01:30:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 36,671
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18378182
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OnesieQueen16/pseuds/OnesieQueen16
Summary: Self-disgust filled almost every fiber of my being, consuming me in a sea of guilt and shame. How could this happen? "You love them, don't you?" It was painful to nod my head. "Yes. Both of them." I was the absolute worst.





	1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter. Just my favored OC, Hayden. 

* * *

**No Promises.**

_Chapter O.N.E._

_"The Beginning"_

 _"Those who don't belong in Magic will never find it."_ -Roald Dahl

* * *

The Platform was less crowded this year.

I had spent all morning bracing myself to fight through the onslaught of students and parents and siblings with my parents just to get to the train, but after halting on the other side of the barrier, I realized how entirely unnecessary it was. The crowd that stood before me was nothing compared to the first four years of my train ride to school. Of course, there were still plenty of people taking up space to make it seem like the Platform was busy, but I knew better. A good portion of parents had pulled their children from Hogwarts this year. Mainly because the stupid prats read the Daily Prophet and believed all the horseshit it was spouting all summer.

_Idiots. All of them._

"It's so tense here," said my Mom, Katarina, quietly, surveying the area with arms criss-crossing her chest tightly. My Dad, Ezra, rubbed a hand over her bicep soothingly, mimicking Mom's concerned gaze. She readily accepted the touch, leaning a tad closer to him. "It feels like I could break the tension with a butter knife."

There was no hiding the worried gazes from the parents around us. Their children were kept close and wands were kept even closer. It's like they expected an attack any second now. 

"You could be talking a pitch too loudly and everyone here will be mean mugging you until they leave," I agreed lowly, giving my trolley a small shove to get it going. "Nobody trusts anyone right now. Hardly even their friends and least of all strangers." My parents kept close to my back as I weaved through the clusters of people that littered the Platform. A few groups noticed me coming and graciously moved out of the way, only sparing me a wary glance before turning back to a previous conversation.

"That's a little much, don't you think, dear?" Asked my Dad with an arched brow. He dodged a shoulder that was supposed to hit him rather harshly. The attacker didn't falter in his steps, maintaining a steady gait out of the Platform. I glared at him, cursing my inability to use magic outside of school. Mom's lips pulled into a frown.

"I'm being honest, Dad. People are scared nowadays." 

Scared was an understatement. Much of the magical community was vehemently denying the signs that were being thrown in their faces like bright neon lights and were turning their noses up at the people who said otherwise. Of course, the only credible source anyone had was a then fourteen-year-old boy and that wasn't entirely convincing to anyone. Even Dumbledore, who was rumored and talked about for his wisdom and judgement, wasn't making any progress in this area and he was a well-known, very respected wizard among the community and the Ministry.

Dad creeped closer to my ear and leaned down, at least having the common sense to lower his voice with his next words, to which I was eternally grateful for. "It's not just about that Dark Wizard you told us about, is it?"

Being a Muggle, Dad had no idea about the line he had just crossed with that comment. It was an invisible line, but it was treated as if it was a real line that actually stood at the tips of our toes. It was such a sensitive topic right now that it was almost taboo to even hint at it. The idea of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named returning after fourteen years of relative peace was something no witch or wizard wants to accept. It couldn't be possible in their minds. Ludacris. Preposterous. Impossible. _Unreal_.

"He's the biggest cause," I mumbled back, scowling at a pair of girls who were giving my parents distasteful looks. They quickly looked away and hurried onto the train with a suitcase and a cage in hand. Pureblood prejudice was almost ridiculous anymore. "The Ministry is being tight-lipped about it. Fudge has been discrediting the Headmaster ever since the Tournament ended and has been blaming every misfortune that's happened so far on Sirius Black." Which I honestly thought was completely stupid since what evidence was given to the public was nothing close to what Black would do. It was too barbaric, too gruesome. He may have murdered thirteen Muggles, plus Pettigrew, but those were hardly considered violent compared to what was happening around the world.

Mom let out an unlady-like snort. I halted us before an aide, handing him some bags to be passed inside while Dad grabbed my one suitcase and Mom grabbed my True Owl, Finny. He gave a hoot in greeting to her and ruffled his white-speckled brown feathers primly. "I will never understand your leader. He is taking ignorance to a whole other level." Mom's voice was louder than what she had intended, but I still rounded on her sharply.

"Mom!" I hissed. A few adults _—a Pureblood bunch from their rich-looking cloaks_ _—_ were looking our way, a man reaching casually into his sleeve where I had no doubt he kept his wand. The look in his eyes practically screamed the urge to fire a few hexes our way. " _Please_ have some sort of filter when we're surrounded by wizards. Talk like that will get us in trouble."

And since my Mom was such a proud person, her sharp reply back didn't surprise me. "Ignorance is not the way to run a vast magical community. Non-witch I may be, but politics is still politics no matter what the race is." She turned her nose up stubbornly in a way that I knew I mirrored, green eyes narrowed down at me.

I managed a short laugh to appease her. "The Daily Prophet would get a kick out of your thoughts, Mom." Especially that God awful Skeeter woman. She opened her mouth, but I quickly cut her off. "I'm not disagreeing with you. In fact, I agree with you, but I hold little sway here considering I'm a Muggleborn witch." My lips twitched into a sardonic smile.

Dad thankfully came to the rescue and placed a kiss on Mom's cheek. "We didn't come here to talk politics, Kat," He reminded her kindly, smiling at her with gentle hazel eyes. "Our oldest isn't coming back home until Christmas. Do you really want her last words from us to be about politics?"

Mom's cheeks flushed bright pink as she sniffed dismissively, trying to retain some of her dignity with the action. Dad chuckled, planting a loud kiss on her cheek one more time before giving me a semi-stern look. I had to bite the inside of my cheek to keep from giggling. "Do try and stay out of trouble this year, Hayden," Said Dad, giving me his sternest glare. It failed because my lips easily split into a wicked grin. Both of my parents gave me unimpressed looks.

"Your father is right, Hayden," Mom pressed. "We get more letters from your Head of House than we do our monthly bills!"

My grin refused to fade. "Professor McGonagall gave up on controlling me back in second year when I spent the entire winter break turning Malfoy's knees backwards for calling Granger the M-word." I shrugged carelessly. "You wouldn't be getting as many letters if Snape didn't seem to have a sixth sense for when I cause trouble and insist that McGonagall take appropriate action. The stingy bastard always manages to catch me and _relishes_ giving me detention."

"Language," Snapped Mom, cuffing the back of my head quickly. I whined a little bit, rubbing the spot that throbbed.

"It's true, though! Professor Snape is _always_ the first one there after a prank well done! He always looks so smug that he catches me, too." I mumbled that last part petulantly. The aide took my last bag and I thanked him as he left us alone.

Dad rubbed his nose with a hand, pinching the area. "Try to be discreet about it, then," He insisted. "Give this Malfoy boy a break and—"

"I can assure you," a silky, cold voice interrupted, "that my son doesn't need your interference about what happens at his school."

I almost didn't turn around. I about grabbed both my parents and hurried them off to avoid talking to the man who was without a doubt towering over me. They had never had to hear the words I did at school. I didn't want them to hear it now either, but Dad's eyes were already looking behind me and Mom looked just the tiniest bit appalled. Swallowing, I forced myself to face the music.

Now, I wasn't some harlot who pursued older men _—I had standards, damn it_ _—_ but not even the logical side could beat aside the hormones that never failed to make an appearance at inappropriate times. The female in me was very pleased at what she saw. She ogled the black suit that was tailored to fit Lucius Malfoy in all the right places, snug around his biceps and broad shoulders and comfortably loose around his wrists, waist, and lower body. The man _was_ attractive with his long blonde hair, aristocratic face, and stormy grey eyes. What always derailed those thoughts, however, was the sneer that was perpetually on his lips and the contempt that was clearly showing in those grey eyes.

The situation got even more fantastic when Narcissa and Draco Malfoy sauntered up and flanked the man's sides. Narcissa, whose face was very beautiful and whose elegance made me endlessly envious, was perfectly poised by her husband, expression cool as she regarded us. Malfoy's sneer mirrored his father's almost perfectly, blonde hair falling naturally instead of gelled back and posture reeking of superiority.

"Walters," He greeted mockingly. "I'm surprised you decided to show your face this year."

My eyes narrowed. "Malfoy." My own lips copied his sneer. It was very easy to do. "Did you have a good summer fearing every Ferret you came across? I'm sure everyone got a real laugh watching the infamous young Malfoy running in terror from a small furry animal."

He didn't appreciate the reminder, eyebrow twitching. I would never let the cocky prat forget that embarrassing moment in his life. It would haunt him till the day he died and I'd be sure to bring it back up at his funeral. "Were you still washing out all the colors of the rainbow from your hair this summer? You did an awful job. I'm pretty sure there's some pink and yellow still there." My hand twitched, itching to reach up and confirm it. Those two colors clashed _horrendously_ with my natural hair, but I knew it wasn't there, though. Mom had made very sure of that.

"Well, considering how you ran from Professor Moody every time you saw him during meals or in the halls, I'm surprised you're actually returning to school and gracing us with your wonderful presence after that embarrassment."

"I wouldn't willingly grace you with my presence even if you begged me for it, Walters," He retorted. He brushed back some blonde hair that fell into his eyes.

Ugh. If he wasn't such a jackass, I'd almost say that the guy was attractive. He certainly wasn't hideous to look at. If only he had a personality change, he'd be more desirable in my eyes.

"I'd be dead before I begged to a git like you, Malfoy." His eyes flashed, a hand reaching towards his pocket. I almost laughed out loud at his pitiful attempt of being discreet. Narcissa noticed his movement and made a move that almost looked like it was going to stop him. There was the sharp sound of something solid hitting flesh and Malfoy was suddenly bowed slightly, a hand rubbing his stomach from having the breath knocked out of him by Lucius' cane. Mom inhaled sharply and I didn't miss the fury in Narcissa's gaze before she covered it.

"Mind your tongue, Draco," Lucius said smoothly, giving his son a disapproving look. "Do not rise to such meaningless banter."

"Yes, Father," He grumbled, straightening himself up accordingly. He was too tense to be completely okay with the movement. That had to have hurt and I had the sudden urge to hit Lucius with his own cane to see how much he liked it.

_Children were not meant to be hit like that. Ever._

"I'm sorry," Dad interjected slowly, watching the family warily, "but is that really necessary, sir? Surely your son didn't _—_ "

"You would do well to stay out of my family business," said the Malfoy Patriarch in a chilling voice. "A lowly Muggle like yourself wouldn't understand the delicacy of handling an unruly child to a prominent family."

Mom bristled out of the corner of my eye and I realized that I was just as tense as she was after that particularly rude comment. She made to step around me. "Now hold on _—_ " My arm shot out and Mom wheezed when she ran right into it. Dad's hands pulled her back by her shoulders, whispering into her ear as she caught her breath.

"I'd appreciate you minding your manners, Mr. Malfoy," I suggested coolly, playing off the Pureblood's need for proper etiquette. The coldness in his eyes said that he caught my subtle threat and I flashed a sweet smile at him. "Did you need anything else? If not, your son and I should really be boarding before the third whistle sounds and the train leaves without us." As if agreeing with me, the first warning whistle sounded. Students were immediately hustled onto the train, though many refused to come in the door we were by, wisely keeping their distance and not dawdling around to watch.

Lucius cocked his head just slightly to his right, maintaining eye contact with me. "Of course. We wouldn't want that at all. It'd be a shame if you weren't able to go back this year, Ms. Walters." There was a noise of displeasure from one of my parents before quiet mutterings were heard. I fought the urge to scowl at the Patriarch. The man was a Grade A asshole for sure. "Oh, but do take care to study harder this year, Draco." I blinked at the rather random topic change, but otherwise stayed silent. "It would do you some good to top of your class for once." Draco winced, brushing off Narcissa's hand when it touched his shoulder.

"Yes, Father." 

I couldn't stop the silver platter of a remark that was practically handed to me. "Oh yes, you're gonna need all the study time you can get if you want to beat Granger at her own game, Ferret." Somehow, my smile grew sweeter. "It's funny how a Muggleborn witch has managed to be top of our year for four years now while a Pureblooded Malfoy has been second best for equal that time."

"Hayden!" Snapped Dad, scandalized. Malfoy's face was absolutely thunderous, his wand in hand and pointed at my throat as he invaded my personal space. My parent's protests were barely heard over the roar of my heartbeat.

"Watch your mouth, you filthy Mudbood," He snarled, the smell of spearmint wafting heavily into my nose. It almost distracted me from what was happening. "Granger is not better than _—_ " He froze. Narcissa called his name, but he didn't respond. It amused me to no end that he hadn't even seen me draw my wand.

"You know," I whispered, pressing my wand just a bit more firmly into his throat and leaning closer, "one would think after the first twenty times I sent you to the Hospital Wing, you'd have learned how much I really hate that word, Malfoy." He tensed when I put more force on his throat. "I wonder just how many more hexes it'll take before you finally get the hint."

While I knew Malfoy could trump me any day academically, I knew I could take, if not equal, him in a duel. He was a strong wizard _—anyone with a brain could see how gifted the Malfoy Heir was_ _—_ and it was probably the one area where I would let his arrogance slide. He deserved to be proud of his abilities because he _was_ strong.

However, the prat was almost purely offensive. He knew a lot of spells that could do damage and said damage would certainly put the defender in the Hospital, but if an equally powerful spell was thrown his way, he was screwed. His shields were weak and his form was never perfect, despite it being said to him multiple times by teachers to better himself defensively. And because he refused to do so, he was just asking for a well-placed _Stupefy_ to send him flying. He'd learned that the hard way last year during breakfast once.

The detention I had gotten from Professor Snape for that little stunt was well worth the expression on the blonde's face.

The look of cold fury on Lucius Malfoy's face could make a baby cry instantly, while Narcissa looked torn between being spitting angry or worried about the fuse her husband was about to blow. I ignored the hands gripping the back of my shirt, tugging but not using enough force to move me. Malfoy had to learn eventually that I wasn't a pushover and that I would fight back just to prove a point, consequences be damned.

"Now, really!" We all tensed at the shrill voice, flashes of red moving out of the corner of my eye. A glance to my right showed Molly Weasley, her entire family minus the three older boys in tow with Harry Potter and Hermione Granger in the back with Ron, standing with hands on wide hips and looking quite angry. She didn't seem to notice the pleased expression on her children's faces at seeing Malfoy held at wand point. "This is a public area, you lot! Put those wands away and go your separate ways before someone gets hurt!"

I almost laughed at Fred and George, both of whom were making gestures at the blond in front of me and miming strangling motions. I could never tell which one was which, but I think it was Fred who gave me a thumbs up while George gave me silent approving claps behind their mother's back.

I gave Draco a freezing smile. "You heard her, Malfoy, put your wand away."

The boy snorted rudely, scowling furiously at me. "The Blood Traitor was talking to you, too, Mudblood." The pleased expressions on the kids instantly vanished, replaced by dark looks and angry frowns. Hermione cringed at the word and Harry scowled at Malfoy's back. The Twins even stepped forward, Ron and Ginny a step behind with wands drawn from the three boys. Heat flashed through my veins and before I could reign in my temper, my knee was already harshly implanted into his gut in the same area Lucius had hit him in.

"Draco!"

"Hayden!"

"You will never learn, Ferret!" I snarled, snatching his wand out of his hand before he could gasp a spell out. The wood seemed to warm uncomfortably in my fingers, but it was easily ignored. "Just how many times do we have to keep doing this before it gets through your thick skull?!"

"That's enough, Hayden!" Mr. Weasley was quick to get between us, his back to me as he forced me back. "Give the young Malfoy his wand so that he can go and you can finish boarding."

"I'd rather hex him with it instead, Arthur," I said coldly, clenching said wand tighter. The heat was almost unbearable at this point, the skin around the wood sizzling painfully. Clearly the wand didn't like me touching it. And I clearly forgot my manners, calling Mr. Weasley by his given name so callously like that.

 _Which hex_ _should I use today, laws be damned? The knee-switching is getting a bit old. Maybe Jelly-Legs? A Tickle hex? What about that boils hex Lavender showed me last year? Decisions, decisions..._

I wouldn't get the option. The second whistle shrilled loudly. "Put those away this instant," Narcissa finally demanded, voice terse and clipped as she glared at the Twins and Ron, all of whom had their wands still trained on Malfoy, who was standing slouched with a hand rubbing his stomach. All three cast her dirty looks, but a quick hit to their heads from Mrs. Weasley had them conceding. Nobody noticed Ginny's hand in her pocket nor how we made eye contact over her mother's shoulder, her sharp eyes never wavering from Narcissa's approaching form.

I was thankful someone was ready to jump to my defense, not that I wasn't grateful to the Twins and Ron for drawing their wands so quickly.

"If you won't give Draco his wand, then give it to me." She held a hand out that was flawlessly pale and long-fingered. "You can at least be reassured that I will be the civil one here, Ms. Walters." She silenced any noises from the two men behind her with a glare, her beautiful face contorting into something terrifying.

Realizing the Malfoy Matriarch was right, I placed the wand into her hand, careful not to touch her skin in the process. My hand gave a burning throb. I struggled not to visibly flinch. Narcissa gave a firm nod in thanks, handing the wand to her son, whom she forced onto the train with a pointed finger and a scowl, and ushering her husband away from us once Draco and his luggage was out of sight.

Mom was the first to break out of the silence with a harsh head slap. I recoiled away from her, wide-eyed and horribly confused. "What in the world was that for?!"

"Hayden Alice Walters!" I froze at my full name and yelped when she started hitting any part of my body that she could reach. "I don't know where you get off bad-mouthing someone like that, but I know I taught you better than that!"

"He deserved it," Protested one of the Twins. Possibly Fred?

"Malfoy is a git," Agreed George, sending a glare at the door as if to reinforce his point. "It's about time someone hit him, anyway." He gave a wide grin at his brother, one that was quickly mirrored. "Nice kick, by the way. You should _—_ "

" _—_ do that more often," Fred finished.

"Just don't let a teacher catch you," George added snarkily.

"Snape would have a field day catching you." George nodded wisely at Fred's words, looking for the world like he was hearing advice from Merlin himself. Neither of them were completely wrong.

"Fred, George! Do not encourage such behavior!" Mrs. Weasley admonished. Harry and the other Weasley siblings snickered behind their hands. Even Mr. Weasley looked hard pressed not to smile.

"I don't think Hayden needs any more encouragement," Said Harry teasingly. "She's been giving Filch and Snape runs for their money since Day One." I grinned saucily and winked at him. He knew me so well by now even though we were hardly considered close friends.

Mom threw her hand up, jostling Finny, who gave her a baleful hoot. "Wizards!" She thrust Finny into my arms, being gentle, of course, and gave me a sour look. I immediately eased his cage off my burned appendage, switching it to my left hand. "Onto the train, you little witch. And don't forget to write to us and your sister!"

I rolled my eyes. "Yes, Mom." I gave her cheek a kiss and wrapped Dad in a one armed hug. "I'll see you both at Christmas. And keep reminding Sis to take care of Echo!"

"Will do," Chorused my parents.

"You lot get going, too," Mr. Weasley said. Ron and Ginny hurried in with Hermione and Harry right behind them, all of them fumbling with their luggage and animals. One of the Twins snagged my bag along with all of their bags, both giving me cheeky winks at my indignant look and disappeared.

"Those prats," I grumbled, mentally appreciating their help. I didn't have a lot of stuff in that bag, but it was still heavy considering how little muscle I had on my body. The adults all laughed behind me. It was then I noticed the black shaggy dog sitting by Mrs. Weasley. It gave a low bark, tail wagging and dark eyes sparkling. It was almost human-like, that sparkle.

 _I don't recall ever seeing this dog being with the group when they joined us ten minutes ago. I doubt it's a friendly stray, either._ I eyed the dog curiously, my head tilting unconsciously. That look in its eyes was strange, too. A lesson in Transfiguration last year came to mind suddenly. _I wonder..._

"Hayden?" I shook my head at Mom's questioning tone.

"It's nothing." I waved them all goodbye and boarded the train just as the door slid shut and the train gave a startling lurch forward. Many students still littered the corridor, half their bodies hanging out the window and waving to parents that grew smaller and smaller. Laughing drew my attention and I looked out to see the black dog, who was loping alongside the train, yipping until we rounded a bend and it disappeared from sight. Finny hooted at the noise being made, flapping his wings in annoyance.

"I know, sweet one," I cooed to him, rubbing the smooth feathers on his neck. He preened under the affection. "We'll find somewhere quiet, I promise." I frowned at the lack of red hair in the hall. "We just have to find those blasted Twins first."

"Now that's rude." Fred's head popped out of the compartment behind me, red eyebrow arched. His grin belied his serious words. George leaned over his brother, waving energetically at me. I returned the wave more moderately. "We help you carry your luggage in and you curse us?" Fred shook his head.

"I didn't ask you to help me, ya know," I reminded him.

Fred gave a cheeky grin. "It's only polite to _—_ "

" _—_ help a young lady with her things. We're _—_ "

" _—_ perfect gentlemen, after all," Chorused both boys, looking pleased.

I snorted. "Keep telling yourselves that, you two." I was only joking and I knew they could hear it in my voice. Despite their pranks, I knew Mrs. Weasley ingrained manners into the two boys. They were angels underneath their devilish disguises. "Is my suitcase in there with you?" Identical shrugs was my answer. I rolled my eyes. "Move over, you pranksters."

The compartment wasn't filled with just the Weasley brothers. A dark skinned boy with unruly curly hair sat on the lone side, digging through an impressive stash of candy. He looked up and beamed at me. "Hey, Hayden!" Lee Jordan greeted. He swatted at the wandering hands rifling through his candy, but let Fred and George have the Every Flavor Beans they had managed to snatch with no more than a mock glare.

"Hello, Lee."

Fred sniggered. "That rhymed fantastically."

"Good one, Lee," Agreed George, opening up the box and offering a white bean to Fred. I mentally guessed the white bean to be marshmellow flavored, unconsciously playing a game my sister and I constantly played whenever we got our hands on the candy.

"Hardy-har, you're so funny," I said sarcastically. I blinked when both Twins scooted outwards and made room for me in the middle. Noting that Fred was to my left and George to my right, I took the offered spot, setting Finny's cage in front of me and letting him out. He quickly hopped into my lap and shook himself once, both of us relaxing into our seats.

Lee shrugged. "I think they're a riot." 

"You're biased," I retorted. I scratched at a spot on Finny's chest that I knew he loved to have rubbed. He gave off a series of coos, eyes half-lidding. I smiled. "You're their best friend."

"That doesn't mean anything," Fred disagreed. He laughed at the disgusted look on George's face. He must've gotten something nasty. Probably fish. Ugh. "Being our best friend just means he's one of our first test dummies for a new product!"

"Not unless I bring a willing victim first. After that whole canary fiasco, you can bet that I'm gonna avoid being the test subject again."

I looked towards both Twins in disbelief. "Canary fiasco?" I questioned. Lee groaned into his hands while Fred and George laughed loudly.

"Don't ask," He pleaded. He cast the cackling hyenas a dark look. "It wasn't a good moment in my life."

Fred was the one who recovered first, though he still snickered under his breath as he reached into his pocket and held up a small wrapped present. I carefully took it, wary. A sweet aroma was coming from the simple silver wrapping. It smelled very appealing to me.

"What is this?" I asked, holding up to my face. The smell really was delicious. I felt almost compelled to open it and throw it right into my mouth.

"Eat it," Fred insisted, eyes sparkling mischievously. Lee looked a cross between saying something and just watching.

Now, I was never close with the Twins during my time at Hogwarts. They were two years older than me and mainly kept to themselves, Lee, or their siblings and I made no effort to join that particular group. However, I knew all about what the boys did in their free time and while this little present looked harmless to my eyes, I knew not to trust it at all.

"I'd rather save it for later," I said crossly, shoving it into my pocket. Finny eyed my pocket, hooting when I tapped his beak to gain his attention away from the treat.

"Scared?" George tried to goad. I didn't fall for it.

I gave him an innocent smile. "Far from it. I just don't feel like eating it right now when it could be saved for the inevitable first day of Divination."

"Merlin, I hope you have someone there to record Trelawney's reaction when you eat that!" Fred cackled, throwing an arm across my shoulders casually with an easy grin. Blood rushed to my face despite my best efforts. I could easily feel the muscles that lined his arm, likely from his many years as Beater on the Quidditch team, against my neck and shoulders.

_Merlin's drawers, I'd bet he could easily have his way with me with arms like those._

Where in the ever loving hell did that come from?! My face instantly grew hotter at that thought and I scrambled for another topic to talk about.

"Oh, come on, Forge," George teased, slapping his twin's arm off me. "You're gonna scare away our potential test subject!" If it had been anyone else, I would've given them an earful for even suggesting that so easily. I knew the Twins weren't like that, though.

"I oughta hex you for that one, Weasley," I grumbled half-heartedly. "Go find some witless first year to torture with your inventions."

"It's a good thing we have our charms to get us through then!" They chorused. Lee laughed at them before launching into a one-sided debate about something he had researched over the summer. I was internally grateful when they included me in on the conversation on multiple occasions. It was a welcoming distraction from my suddenly disturbing thoughts about Quidditch arms.

* * *

The rest of the train ride flew by and before we all knew it, we were all cramming into a carriage as a group of four, me sitting by George and Fred and Lee across from us. My eyes never left the skeletal black horses that nickered and shook out their manes as they took us up to the castle. They were strange creatures, Thestrals. All three of the boys noticed that my attention wasn't on them and they did their damned best to regain it. It wasn't until Finny gave an angry hoot that I began to pay more attention to the boys.

"Would you stop messing with him?" I snipped at the Twins and Lee, who were poking and prodding Finny with gentle fingers. I would've hexed and fed them to the Giant Squid if they dared hurt him. "He obviously doesn't want your attention."

"He's such a moody owl," Lee commented, admiring my bird. I was oddly proud that he liked Finny, who had been my animal companion since my first year. "He's so temperamental and cranky."

"Have someone poke you constantly and tell me how you like it, then." Finny seemed to agree for he was quick to nip Lee's finger when it got too close to his beak. Lee jerked back with a yelp and held up his bleeding finger to me.

"He bit me!"

I arched an eyebrow, unperturbed. "You deserved it." The Twins laughed at my reply. I gave both boys a reluctant high-five when they held up their hands expectantly. I gave Lee a spare band aid from my pocket, lips twitching at the pout on his face. He gave the band aid a critical look.

"Finny's a nipper," I answered his unspoken question. "People should really learn to listen to the person who raised him instead of disregarding their words."

"Then why hasn't he bit Fred or George?!" I looked at Finny, who was eyeballing the fingers still gently rubbing his feathers and seemed to be reluctantly relaxing with the ministrations they were giving him. I hummed absently, wrapping my arms around me just a bit tighter to ward off the cold air that was suddenly making itself known. My burned hand relished the cool air that was blowing over it.

"He must like them for some reason. He's normally very picky around people."

"He senses your bad intentions, Lee," Teased Fred, smirking at his friend.

"He must know you intend to use him for your evil experiments," Added George, also smirking. Lee squawked at them, mouth falling open and arms flailing.

"You two are the evil doers here! Not me!"

"I think there needs to be an intervention, Lee," I soothed, reaching across to pat his shoulder. "If you have ill intentions towards my owl, I'm afraid you'll have to be separated from him." My tone became sarcastic. "It's okay to talk about what's going on inside. There's no need to be shy."

Lee huffed and waved my hand away. He turned his nose up and pointedly ignored me. I laughed alongside the Twins the rest of the way up to the castle, pleased with myself. Lee hopped out of his seat, Fred and George following after. Both red heads held out a hand for me to take and my cheeks burned, but I gratefully took both hands and let them help me down. We had left our luggage back on the train _—the house elves would take them up to the tower for us and I resolved to go visit them sometime this week_ _—_ and after letting Finny out of his cage with a promise to share some treats with him at breakfast tomorrow, I sent him off to the Owlery for sleep after the long trip.

The Great Hall was warm and welcoming compared to the slight chill that had been outside. Hundreds upon hundreds of candles floated feet above the four House tables, illuminating the bewitched ceiling and the dark storm clouds that floated by through the sky. Many students were already seated and eating, their voices echoing all across the Hall and the smell of pumpkin and pie crust particularly strong right now. The Twins and Lee were quick to steal seats close to Harry, Fred and George once again leaving a space in the middle of them for me. Once again, Fred being to my left and George to my right was the only thing clueing me in on who was who. 

It was strange that I was suddenly on speaking terms with the Twins after four years of being here and never having so much as a conversation with them. It felt like I was intruding on their dynamic with Lee, but I was pleasantly surprised at their willingness to include me in their small circle. It was...I didn't have a good enough word to describe it, but it was enjoyable, to put it inadequately.

"God, I've missed this food," Lee groaned around a mouthful of potatoes, piling his plate with a type of casserole and chicken. "I haven't had anything this amazing all summer."

"That's a harsh jab to your parents if I've ever heard one," I commented, grabbing a little bit of potatoes and what I was hoping was some version of a cranberry salad. It was difficult using a fork with my left hand when I'm predominantly right-handed, but it was a bit painful to use that hand right now. I snatched a piece of pumpkin pie away from Lee's grabbing fingers, smirking at his squawk of protest. He pursed his lips at me in a mock frown and settled for grabbing a strawberry crepe instead.

"Neither of my parents can cook to save their lives," He complained. "It's a wonder we're still alive." He glared at the Twins. "You're lucky you have such a fantastic cook like Mrs. Weasley."

I could barely control my jaw from dropping at the sheer amount of food that was piled on both boys' plates. It was almost up to their chests! It was ridiculous, but I found myself just a bit jealous. Where the hell did all of that food go? I hardly believed Quidditch kept them from burning off all of those calories. I just look at a pizza my Mom makes and I gain five pounds!

"Don't be jealous, Lee," Fred said, waving his fork at him. George nodded, copying Fred's movements.

"It's quite unbecoming of our business partner to be jealous over something so silly."

"It's not silly, you two," I objected, taking a bite of the salad. I practically shook in happiness. It was indeed a version of cranberry salad and quite possibly the best I've ever had. "Mothers make the best food in the whole world. Although the house elves here are making it difficult to stick to that mindset."

"My mother obviously doesn't fit that stereotype," Lee deadpanned, moodily eating his crepe.

The Hall quieted when the Great Hall doors were pushed open and in walked Professor McGonagall with a train of frightened first years scampering after her, a stool and an ancient-looking wizard's hat with a wide rip in her hands. The first years stopped before the staff table, McGonagall setting down the stool first and then placing the hat on it. She took a step back and waited. A moment of silence and then the hat's rip opened wide like a mouth and burst into song.

It spoke a lot of the founding of Hogwarts, speaking of Salazar, Rowena, Godric, and Helga respectively, the expectations and hopes for their individual Houses, and then it descended into the discord that began to form between the Houses. Slytherin himself left in a fury and abandoning the once band of four to a band of three. The Sorting Hat sang of a warning, Hogwarts being in danger and that unity is what will save us. With that final line, the hat became motionless. There was a scattered applause and whispers began circulating.

"I've never heard of the hat giving out warnings before," I commented, clapping politely with everyone else. I almost felt intimidated by the warning. Hogwarts in danger? The thought made my stomach churn anxiously and I couldn't help but feel like the salad was going to make another unfortunate appearance.

"Well, what would you expect?" George asked. "The thing lives in Dumbledore's office. It's bound to pick up some things, wouldn't you agree?"

I hesitantly answered, "I guess so, but I can't help feeling nervous. It chose an awful time to hand out that particular warning." Especially since He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was apparently running about unsupervised. Fred's hand was suddenly curling in my hair and he gave it a reassuring rub, long fingers being gentle not to pull strands of hair too harshly.

"Don't worry too much about it," He chided, giving me a grin. "Classes haven't even started yet. There's no need to freak out over an old hat's premonition."

"I'm not _freaking out,_ Fred Weasley," I scowled at him as he retracted his hand. "I'm just concerned."

"Don't be concerned then," George chimed in. He laughed at the glare I sent him. Someone down the table shushed us and we all looked up to see McGonagall frowning severely. I shrunk back into Fred's side, using his taller and wider form as a shield. The Sorting went by quickly afterwards, the first boy, "Abercrombie, Euan", coming to our table and the last girl, "Zeller, Rose", running to the cheering Hufflepuff table. Dumbledore's magenta robes caught everyone's attention as he stood up, white beard tossed over his shoulder and his wizard's hat sagging to the side.

"To our newcomers, welcome!" He greeted, a beaming smile on his lips. "To our old hands, welcome back! There is a time for speech making, but this is not it. Tuck in!"

"Dumbledore's as barmy as ever!" Lee laughed, cheering alongside the others as even more food weighed down on the table. He was quick to grab the nearest pile of pork chops and some type of sweet smelling sauce.

"How in Merlin's blue knickers are you still hungry?!" I exclaimed in surprise and slight disgust as he started to stuff his face for the second time. His words were muffled around the mouthful of chops in his mouth. Beside him, a brunette first year gave a quiet noise of disgust and moved away from him. My eye twitched. "I'm sorry, I was distracted by the half masticated pig rolling around in your wide open trap. Care to repeat that, Jordan?"

He rolled his eyes and swallowed thickly. " _I said_ that boys have different stomachs for other foods! I saw those delicious pork chops and knew that I was still hungry for more."

"He's not wrong," a boy next to him said. He was rather short and young, but not as young-looking as a first year. Maybe a second or third year? His teeth were beautifully white as he laughed. "There's always plenty of room for food for us growing boys!" He patted his stomach fondly.

"More like garbage disposals," I muttered, eying the way the Twins were equally still eating, but with more grace than Lee, thank God. "You guys are eating everything in sight without even looking at what you're grabbing."

"Food is food," was all that Fred said.

"If it's edible and tastes good, why not eat it?" George asked, reaching for his cup of pumpkin juice.

"There's a limit to how much I can eat in one sitting, Weasley," I said sarcastically. He glanced at my plate, which still had a bit of salad and pie on it, and snorted.

"If that's all you're gonna be eating, I have to wonder how you're not dead! You've hardly eaten anything in front of you!"

"I don't need to eat a lot to be full, George," I sighed. This was a conversation I was very much used to. "I don't have a black hole for a stomach." Blue eyes connected with each other over my head, both having a silent conversation, before the redheads began grabbing bits of everything off the plates around them and putting them on mine. My hands were swatted aside when I tried to stop them. "You guys! What on earth are you doing?! Stop it!"

"You need to eat more," George insisted, putting an avocado on my plate.

"You're too skinny as is." Fred slapped my hand when I took the avocado off my plate.

"I don't even like half of this stuff, you two," I complained, hastily tossing the green monstrosity onto Lee's plate. He gave it a contemplative look before he shrugged and cut it open. "Put all of this back. I'm not eating it."

"We'll leave you alone if you eat all of it," They both pressed, looking determined. Lee was snickering into his food like the prat that he was at the attention I was getting from his best friends. I lobbed a piece of turkey at him, hitting him square in the face.

"As if something as simple as that would make you two leave me alone," I scoffed.

"We'll leave you alone about your eating habits," Fred corrected.

"We'll continue to bother you otherwise," George said cheekily. It was only Dumbledore's voice piercing through the Hall that stopped me from pushing George off the bench.

"Now that we are all digesting another magnificent feast, I beg a few moments of your attention for the usual start-of-term notices," He announced. "First years ought to know that the forest in the grounds is out of bounds to students." Here he gave a few Gryffindors a look, specifically the smirking Twins on both sides of me. " And a few of our older students ought to know by now, too.

"Mr. Filch, our caretaker, has asked me, for what he tells me is the four hundred and sixty-second time, to remind you all that magic is not permitted in corridors between classes, nor are a number of other things, all of which can be checked on the extensive list now fastened to Mr. Filch's office door.

"We have had two changes in staffing this year. We are very pleased to welcome back Professor Grubbly-Plank, who will be taking over Care of Magical Creatures lessons." I was disappointed at Hagrid's sudden disappearance, but didn't dwell too long on it. Grubbly-Plank had won over a lot of students, mainly girls, last year with her unicorn lesson. I was partially included in that lot despite not having the class, having snuck down with a bunch of other girls to get a peek at the magical creature. "We are also delighted to introduce Professor Umbridge, our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher."

I certainly wasn't very impressed with this particular lady. She was dressed head to toe in obnoxious pink clothes that clashed with the black robes of Professor Snape, who sat beside her, had ordinary curly brown hair that barely touched her shoulders, and shrewd looking eyes that counteracted the sweet smile on her face. And was she _giggling_ up there?

"Tryouts for the House Quidditch teams will take place on the _—_ "

 _"Hem, hem."_ I must've been imagining things. There's no where this new teacher had just cut off the Headmaster like that. I was proven wrong when the Headmaster abruptly stopped talking, looking inquiringly at Professor Umbridge, who I hadn't noticed get to her feet and looking for the world like she was about to give the greatest speech known to Man. Her standing hardly compensated for her lack of height. It was like she was still sitting anyway.

"Damn, that woman is short," Lee whispered. The Twins nodded in agreement.

"Look at the teachers," I pointed out lowly. "They don't look very amused." Sprout's eyebrows had disappeared completely into her flyaway hairline and McGonagall's mouth was as thin as I had ever seen it. Even Snape's eyebrow was arched in disbelief.

"That woman obviously doesn't know how Hogwarts is run here," someone from the Ravenclaw table behind me muttered furiously as Dumbledore stepped away from his podium to watch Umbridge alertly as she walked around the Head Table and took his place, looking as if he would love nothing more than to hear her talk as she addressed the student body at large.

"Thank you, Headmaster," Professor Umbridge simpered, "for those kind words of welcome."

Her voice was almost painfully high-pitched and sugary. I wondered if she had to work to make her voice sound that falsely sweet. I had to hold back a wince as it practically grinded my eardrums and made my head hurt.

"Well, it is lovely to be back at Hogwarts, I must say!" She smiled, revealing teeth that, now that I could see them better, were actually a bit pointed. "And to see such happy little faces smiling up at me." I can assure you, lady, that I was not smiling at you and a quick glance around me showed that everyone else was of a similar mindset. "I'm sure we're all going to be very good friends."

"That's likely," Muttered the Twins under their breaths. I elbowed them both in the side, but there was little force behind the action.

"I'll be her friend as long as I don't have to borrow that cardigan," Parvati, who was sitting diagonally from me, whispered to Lavender. Both girls lapsed into silent giggles, their shoulders shaking. Professor Umbridge sent the four looks, her eyes barely concealing the irritation that I had no doubt that she was feeling, though her smile didn't falter.

"The Ministry of Magic," She began, "has always considered the education of young witches and wizards to be a vital importance. Although each Headmaster has brought something new to his historic school," here she gave a nod to Dumbledore, who returned the gesture politely, "progress for the sake of progress must be discouraged. Let us preserve what must be preserved, perfect what can be perfected, and prune practices that ought to be prohibited." She gave a honeyed laugh that was so obviously false, I was surprised her face wasn't pinched with tension from the effort of faking such a laugh. Dumbledore led the room to applause, most of us only clapping once or twice to be polite. The teachers were just as enthusiastic as we were, their claps even less animated than ours.

"That was a load of codswallop if you ask me," Lee said as Dumbledore continued his earlier announcements. "What's that woman's deal anyway, sprouting all of that stuff off?"

"That's not hard to figure out," I said, frowning at our new Professor. "She works for Fudge, doesn't she? We all know how much Fudge _loves_ Dumbledore right now and this woman comes out of nowhere to teach here? That's not coincidence."

"I have a feeling she's going to cause a lot of future problems here," Predicted Fred. His brother nodded in agreement.

"She undoubtedly will," I said. "The Ministry is making a move on Hogwarts. This won't end well for anyone if this is the person Fudge sent in to watch us."

Classes wouldn't start till tomorrow, but I could tell already that this year was going to be a busy one. 

* * *

 

 **** ****


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Self-disgust filled almost every fiber of my being, consuming me in a sea of guilt and shame. How could this happy? "You love them, don't you?" It was painful to nod my head. "Yes. Both of them." I was the absolute worst.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter. Just my lovely Hayden. 

* * *

**No Promises.**

_Chapter T.W.O._

_"Connections"_

 _"Everybody deserves somebody who makes them look forward to tomorrow."_ -Unknown

* * *

It was a bit difficult to convince the Twins and Lee to go up to the Tower without me. All three boys were curious _—read_ nosy _—_ about where I was wandering off to right after the Feast ended and were determined to follow after me. No amount of vague words, threats, or bodily harm would get them to leave, so I took drastic measures and turned my wand on them, promising the most painful hex I knew if they didn't go upstairs without me. They relented at that, but not without backwards glances and scowling faces. 

I was thankful Professor Snape's sixth sense didn't kick in at that moment. It'd be a new record for me to get detention before classes actually started.

My hand was throbbing painfully at my side, pieces of skin around my fingers burning red, but thankfully not blistering. It still stung like a bitch, though. I was half tempted to just let it heal naturally since it wasn't a _terrible_ burn, but then I remembered how hard I had struggled to eat left handed and came to the quick conclusion that I wasn't feeling up to starting classes in pain from holding a quill since I couldn't write left-handed to save my life. I definitely learned my lesson about touching other people's wands, too.

Damn things were as picky as their masters. 

_"The wand chooses the wizard, Ms. Walters. Not the other way around."_

Ollivander wasn't kidding when I first met him in his shop four years ago after getting my cypress wand. And here I was thinking he was just a tad bit crazy in the head when in actuality he really knew what he was talking about. The man deserved more credit than he was given.

I waved to a couple of Ravenclaw students whom I had shared a few classes with over the years as they marched their way up the stairs to the fifth floor where I knew their Common Room to be. Clothes of red were mixed in with them, while clothes of green and yellow branched off towards the dungeons and basement respectively. It was getting close to curfew, so I had to make this quick. I was almost positive Madam Pomfrey would give me a free pass or something if I somehow did stay past curfew, but I wasn't going to test the strict Mediwitch so late at night. It was best to get in, have her lecture me and heal my hand, and be on my merry way.

The Hospital Wing doors were closed, but light shone dimly from underneath the edges, most likely from one of the many candles Madam Pomfrey liked to have spread out around the room. Pushing the doors open, I peeked inside, glancing around for the Madam before spotting her near the arched windows, waving her wand to put out the candles placed there. She turned as I walked in and frowned mightily at me.

"Now, really, Ms. Walters!" She said in exasperation as she marched towards me. "Classes haven't even started yet and I'm already being graced by your presence! What have you done this time, hmm? Did young Malfoy hex you again? Are you sick? Did you drink something you shouldn't have? Come on, out with it!"

"Your patience with me holds no limits, Madam," I said, snickering at all of her accusations. She was right to ask me all of those things as they have happened on more than one occasion. "I have not been hexed by the Ferret, I'm not sick, and I haven't drank any suspicious potions as of yet. I'm actually here for something new."

She arched a greying eyebrow expectantly. "Is that so? Well, what is it then?" I wordlessly held my hand out for her. She carefully took it into her wrinkled, but smooth, hands and watched as I opened up my fingers, revealing the burns. Her lips pinched. "Dare I ask how you got these? They're not terrible, but they're awfully close to second degree burns from the looks of it."

I grinned sheepishly. "Ferret and I got into a fight at the Platform and I might have grabbed his wand without magic."

Madam Pomfrey gave me an impressive glare. "You should know better, Ms. Walters," She scolded severely, dropping my hand and walking swiftly towards the medicine cabinet in her office. She pulled open one of the many drawers and pulled out a tiny white bottle. Opening another door produced tape and gauze. "A wizard's wand does not take lightly to being manhandled like that, especially if said wand belongs to a Malfoy."

"Ferret just needs to learn how to keep his mouth shut and watch what he says." I would never have gotten away with such talk with any of the other teachers. Madam Pomfrey took it all in stride.

"You need to learn to control your temper, young lady," She snapped right back. "Young Malfoy should do the same, as well, but you antagonizing him every step he takes only makes matters worse for both of you." She impatiently motioned for me to hold my hand palm up again. Opening the bottle, she carefully tipped it, letting an orange paste drip out onto her ready palm. My lip curled at the color. I've never liked orange. Especially that specific shade. I winced as she applied the paste, the burns sizzling beneath the medicine and I thought I saw steam actually rising from my hand.

"Why not just use magic to heal the burns?" I asked curiously.

"Wand burns are different than normal burns, Ms. Walters," Madam Pomfrey said stiffly, gently lathering the orange monstrosity up and down my fingers and my palm. "Certain wands, once bonded to their wizard, will not be pleased to be taken away from them as roughly as you took Mr. Malfoy's. Dragon Heartstring cores, for example, are quite the temperamental wands despite their fierce loyalty."

"Are you trying to bestow a lesson on me, Madam? If so, I'm afraid your advice will be voided for future accidents that will not be my fault." The Mediwitch grumbled under her breath, but didn't respond to my jab and wiped the residue paste away with a towel conjured from thin air.

"You are to keep this on for at least two days before you can wash it off," Madam instructed, capping the bottle shut. She gave me a scowl and a stern look. "Don't let me catch you washing that off early either, young lady. I have eyes and ears all around the castle despite my confinement to this Wing." She put the bottle down on a bedside table and began wrapping the gauze around my fingers individually.

"You're confined here?" I arched an eyebrow sarcastically. "I never would've known. I'd just assume you hated people since you're hardly seen anywhere else."

"Joke all you want, Ms. Walters," Madam Pomfrey said, snorting under her breath, "but if I truly hated people, I would've never applied for a job as a school nurse."

"So you do hate people." 

"Only when it's nosy children like you, Ms. Walters."

I pressed my free hand against my chest, feigning hurt. "You wound me, Madam."

"You'll survive," She said sardonically, lips twitching. She taped the bandage securely and released my hand. "Move your hand around. _Gently,_ Ms. Walters, for Merlin's sakes. Is it secure enough for you to go about your day as you normally do?" I experimentally flexed my fingers and rolled my wrist. There was the slightest twinge of discomfort around my fingers, but I figured that was normal and was pleased that it would be easier to hold things now.

"Your work is as excellent as always, Madam," I praised, lowering my hand. "I hardly feel anything."

Madam Pomfrey nodded, pleased. "Good. Now, I think it's time for you to be off to your Common Room. It's getting late and classes start bright and early tomorrow morning."

"If I didn't know any better, Madam, I'd think you're trying to get rid of me too quickly. You're not gonna insist I spend the night in here? No parting words goodbye?"

Madam Pomfrey was unimpressed with my teasing, her lips pursing in annoyance, but her eyes were flashing with suppressed mirth. "If you need to stay overnight in the Hospital Wing because of a measly burn, you're more helpless than I thought you were, Ms. Walters. And as for your parting words, I expect I'll see you back in here over the next couple weeks, so there's no need for the heartfelt goodbye that you're looking for."

I let loose a small laugh, grinning at one of my favorite Professors. "It's good to be back, Madam. I've missed these talks with you."

Her eyes softened just the tiniest bit. "It's good to see you as well, Ms. Walters." Her eyes hardened before she shooed me towards the door. "Now off you go! Go to bed and get yourself some rest for tomorrow." She cut me off as I opened my mouth. "And no, I am not writing a pass for you." She waved away my protests with a wrinkled hand. "If you run into Severus or any of the other teachers, I will vouch for you if you're threatened with detention. Now shoo!"

I laughingly waved her goodbye and hurried out of the Hospital Wing as the doors clicked shut behind me and the final light from inside was smothered. A resonating chime from the clock tower had me cursing under my breath. Curfew hit at nine and it was already almost ten o'clock now. Sneaking a peek around a corner and seeing no one in sight, I hurried up the first series of stairs that would lead me up to Gryffindor Tower. Four years of climbing seven flights of steps made it a quick trip up the staircases without thankfully running into any teachers or roaming prefects. Or Mrs. Norris.

_This is the year I give that grouchy little shit a good kick. Without getting caught. Somehow. It'll happen, though._

The castle was completely silent with the occasional snore of a portrait making itself known and a slight chill wafting through the air that not even my uniform sleeves could ward off. Torches along the corridors were lit to provide some form of light, but seeing up the stairs proved a bit more challenging as said light could barely reach the steps. I hopped over the trick step that had caught me only once before and that was back when I was an inexperienced first year. My footsteps were soft, but they still echoed in my ears as I climbed.

Halfway up the fifth staircase, the jingling sound of a bell made me stop. I cocked my head at the sound and smiled. There was a pair of colorful water balloons hovering in mid-air in front of me, the water inside sloshing about as the balloons swayed from side to side. Someone failed to smother a cackle, though I had a feeling he wasn't really trying to hide his mirth from me.

"Hello, Peeves," I greeted amusedly. There was a sharp popping sound and a short, wicked looking ghost with glowing orange eyes appeared, a wide smirk spreading across his lips. The bell attached to his hat gave another merry jingle that contrasted with the ghost's mischievous expression.

"Out past curfew, you are, Haydie," He commented, tossing a water balloon in the air innocently before catching it. His smirk widened even more at the slight cringe I gave at his nickname for me. "Should warn a teacher, I should. Peevsie is a good ghost, after all."

I gave him a fake incredulous look. "After all these years of supplying you with flash bombs, you'd rat me out so quickly? That's low of you, Peeves."

Peeves gave a cackle and floated closer to my level, unblocking the way for me to continue going up. "Peevsie would never give a supplier out. She helps us create mischief, after all, and mischief makers stick together, we do."

I smiled. "That explains why you like the Twins so much." I pointed to the balloons still in his hand. "What are you going to be doing with those? Saving them to pelt at the poor first years tomorrow morning before breakfast? Or are you targeting a teacher this time? _Ohhh,_ if it's Snape, _please_ let me be there to watch."

His orange eyes gave a menacing flash. "These little things were actually for the annoying kitty cat that likes to follow Peevsie around the castle whenever its not trailing after icky little firsties." He cackled under his breath. "Peevsie has been waiting for this day and he will take great pleasure in drowning the little rat with water."

While the idea of Mrs. Norris being thrown in Peeves' line of fire was wonderful, a pink monstrosity of a woman flitted across my mind's eye and I barely suppressed the snicker that was threatening to make an appearance. Oh Merlin, it was too good to pass up. We were almost to the seventh floor, so I had to be quick before Peeves zoomed off to go cause havoc.

"Did you hear that we got a new teacher?" The Poltergeist perked up exponentially at that, looking very interested. "Yeah, she's our new Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor." I gave my companion a shifty look, as if I was about to bestow upon him my greatest secret. "It's been going around that she's a Ministry official, too, and that she works directly under the Minister himself."

Peeves hummed, blinking slowly as we came to a stop at the top of the seventh floor. He hovered at my face level, crossing his legs and rubbing under his chin. "New Professor, you say?"

It was a struggle not to nod enthusiastically at him. "Yep. She's a tiny thing, that woman. Brown hair and wears pink clothes." Peeves grimaced at the color. I mentally agreed with him on the woman's color choice, as well. "You can't miss her, even if her height is rather pathetic." I had no room to talk since I probably only had a couple inches on the woman. I gave Peeves the final nudge he needed. "Why don't you...get to know her, Peeves? Maybe introduce yourself to her first thing in the morning before breakfast? She is new, after all. I'm sure she would love to be greeted _the Peeves way._ "

Wide lips stretched even more to accommodate the shit eating grin on his face. I knew I had him then. "Is that so?" He purred, looking excited. "We wouldn't want to disappoint our new _Professor_ , wouldn't we, Haydie?"

I shook my head. "It would be a travesty." I wiggled my fingers at him in goodbye as the ghost zipped off in a hurry to no doubt prepare himself for the morning to come.

"You shouldn't encourage that thing, dear," A woman said in disapproval from behind me. "And do you have any idea what time it is? Curfew hit an hour ago!" I turned and gave the Fat Lady, Gryffindor Tower's entrance and protector, a winning smile.

"I wouldn't encourage anything nobody else wouldn't do," I appeased her. "And I was in the Hospital Wing visiting our resident Mediwitch. She promised to vouch for me this time, so I'm not getting into any trouble tonight." I held up my bandaged hand as proof for her to see. She held her frown, but rolled her eyes.

"What's the password, dear?" 

" _Mimbulus Mimbletonia,_ " I said proudly, happy that I at least had gotten that out of Lee before banishing them earlier. She gave a short nod and swung inwards, allowing me to step through.

The common room was warm and inviting, an air of tranquility hovering around and exuding a feeling that could only be described as home. Red chairs were spread around the room, some occupied by night owls who were reading from their school books, and round tables being pushed closer to the wall to add a bit more privacy for the older students who would no doubt be making themselves at home at those tables once classes really got going. The heat of a fire was present against my skin, scaring off the goosebumps that had dotted my arms.

Glancing around, I was surprised to see that the Twins and Lee weren't huddled around the fire waiting to ambush me. Maybe they actually went to bed early tonight instead of staying up late playing Exploding Snaps and talking business.

_But that just means I'll have to somehow dodge them at breakfast tomorrow._

Yeah, that was hilarious. I'd get an Outstanding in Transfiguration before I ever escaped the Twins' grasps. Persistent duo, they were.

I was almost to the winding staircase that would lead up to my dormitory when a sharp voice halted me. "Why are you only just now getting back?" I twisted to look over my shoulder, blinking. Hermione stood from her pushed back seat, looking thoroughly unamused and with her arms crossed. Harry and Ron were seated around the table that I had apparently missed in the corner of the room, green and blue eyes locked on us.

I frowned at Hermione. I liked the girl, but sometimes she pushed buttons that really shouldn't be pushed. "No offense, Hermione, but I don't need to report to you every time I do something. You're not my mother."

Brown eyes narrowed into slits and she puffed out her chest slightly. It was only then that I actually saw the Prefects badge that was pinned to her uniform. I arched an eyebrow, unimpressed. She made a frustrated noise.

"It's my job as a Prefect to up-hold the rules and you are breaking a rule by being out past curfew!" She said snippily. "I want a reasoning or I will dock points from you."

I laughed loudly at that. "I have nothing to lose from House points, Hermione," I informed, though not unkindly. "If anything, I couldn't give a rat's ass more about House points. The only thing I have to say about that is be prepared." She gave me a confused look.

"Prepared for what?"

I gave her a cheery grin. "Classes haven't even started yet and Gryffindor is already in last place because you docked points off me for being out late. Do you really think any Gryffindor will be pleased when they hear about that? You certainly won't be anyone's favorite Prefect then."

"This isn't about being a favorite, Walters!" Damn, she really wasn't letting this go. She was taking her duties a bit too seriously, in my opinion. Ron, whom I noticed also had a shiny Prefect badge resting on the table in front of him, piped up.

"Give her a break, Hermione," He said, standing up to stretch. "Let her off tonight and catch her some other time. Classes haven't even begun yet and you're already threatening House point deductions." Harry followed his example, rising to his feet. I noticed the dark circles under his eyes and wondered if he had been properly sleeping over the summer.

I doubted it. Especially since Cedric's death was still recent enough to cause some pain to certain students, him and Cho Chang specifically.

"Ron!" She rounded on him, eyes blazing. "If I let her off, it'll only encourage other students to follow her example! Next thing you know, every single Gryffindor will be out wandering the corridors and we'll lose more House points if they're caught by a Professor than by me! You need to be taking this more seriously."

Everything she had said seemed to go in one ear and out the other with the red head. He nodded absently at her words, infuriating the brown-haired girl before she huffed and stomped her way up the girls' staircase. Harry nudged him sharply in the ribs, green eyes exhausted but reprimanding.

"Don't brush her off so quickly like that, Ron," I scolded, my tone still light. He tilted his head in my direction, indicating he was semi-listening. "Hermione does have a point, but keep in mind the line between serious and carefree. It'd be embarrassing if that shiny badge was revoked because you were too lax." His ears burned red around the curling strands of his hair. Harry steered him up the boys' staircase quickly before he could open his mouth and retort back at me.

Climbing the stairs, I quietly pushed open the door to the dormitory I shared with the other fifth year girls. Hermione's curtains were drawn around her bed, but Lavender and Parvati were still awake, Lavender making herself comfortable on the Indian girl's bed as they chattered in low voices. Both girls looked up at my entrance and waved at me. I returned the gesture, opening my trunk and grabbing a pair of pajamas. I speedily changed clothes, throwing my dirty ones in a small hamper by my bedside table and climbing underneath the warm, red covers.

"Goodnight, Parvati, Lavender," I whispered, not wanting to disturb Hermione in case she was sleeping.

"Goodnight, Hayden!" Came the hushed replies back. Charming my curtains closed, I closed my eyes and was out within seconds.

* * *

A chirping noise shattered the slow dream that I was having, piercing my ears and forcing me back into the world of reality. The chirping continued, growing louder in frequency until my hand whipped out and slammed down onto the alarm on the bedside table. The chirping stopped and blissful silence greeted me once more. Someone giggled in the room, my eyes opening and being greeted with the redness of my pillow being stuffed over my face. I heaved a groan, shoving the pillow aside and sitting up.

Parvati and Hermione's beds were already neatly made and empty, while Lavender's was still a mess of sheets and blankets. Lavender herself was glancing at me from her mirror as she applied a shimmery type of lip gloss to her lips, smacking them several times as she tossed the gloss back onto her bed. She smiled at me through the mirror, patting down her uniform and smoothening out non-existent wrinkles. She looked as put-together as she always does.

"Good morning, Miss. Bedhead," She chirped, spinning on her heel towards her bed. A wave of her wand had her bed making itself as pristine as the other two girls'. "Breakfast has already started, so I'd hurry before it's all gone." She was gone after that parting statement, the door shutting softly behind her.

It took me all of ten minutes to get dressed and prepped for the day, my school bag filled with more blank notebooks than my actual school books. It's easier to gauge which classes will require our books after the first day, though my Potions book was mandatory since it was Snape's class. Running my fingers through my unruly hair, I gave up on taming it and just let it fall normally around my face. Mentally checking that I had everything, I nodded to myself and hurried out of the room to head to breakfast.

Risking a quick glance at the message board in the Common Room, I paused in my steps at seeing a new sign posted and stopped to read it.

**Gallons of Galleons!**

**Pocket money failing to keep pace with your outgoings?**

**Like to carry a little extra gold?**

**Contact Fred and George Weasley,**

**Gryffindor Common Room,**

**for simple, part-time, virtually painless jobs**

**(WE REGRET THAT ALL WORK IS UNDERTAKEN AT APPLICANT'S OWN RISK)**

"Those two have lost their ever loving minds, I swear." I shook my head and pushed open the Fat Lady's portrait hole to leave the Tower. I could already see Hermione foaming out the mouth if she saw that.

Just like last night, the smell of fresh food wafted out from the open doors to the Great Hall. This time, the smell of bread and muffins were the strongest things I could smell. Along with pumpkin juice, of course. Hermione and Ron were sitting next to each other, talking in low voices, but Harry was nowhere in sight, which I found odd. A quick glance at the staff table confirmed that Umbridge wasn't there yet.

_I hope Peeves hasn't forgotten his plan._

I paused and shook my head. No way would that Poltergeist just forget the chance to torment a teacher so early in the morning.

"Well look who it is!" Two sets of arms wrapped through mine, gripping me in similar firm grips. I blinked in surprise up at the Twins, both of whom were grinning with straight teeth on perfect display. An awkward glance over my shoulder showed that Lee was right behind me, chuckling. Fred and George easily lifted me off the ground and waltzed over to their empty seats, my feet barely touching the floor and my shoulders hunched awkwardly. How they could carry me like this with my school bag as full as it is was beyond me.

"You're a sneaky blight, ya know that, Hayden?" George said, plopping me down gracelessly onto the bench. He slipped my bag off my shoulders and placed it underneath my seat, twirling his finger in the universal turn around motion. I rolled my eyes and did as he asked while they sat in their spots on either side of me.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I wasn't sure if I should feel offended yet or not.

"It means, dear Hayden, that you are sneaky," Fred supplied helpfully. I glared at him, snatching a blueberry muffin that he was reaching for and taking a bite out of it, silently daring him to fight me for it. It was a petty way of spiting him. He gave a devilish smirk, but didn't reach for it and instead grabbed a bit of sausage and pancakes to put on his plate.

I made a mental note that Fred was more prone to making faces like that than George was, which would make telling them apart a little easier than what side of me they were on.

"I got that part, Fred," I said sarcastically after swallowing. "I want to know what you're talking about before I ready myself to slap you both if what you're insinuating is less than desirable."

"We never saw you come back up to the Tower last night," Lee said. He was stirring circles in his bowl of cereal methodically. He pointed to the two redheads. "They didn't even see you walk in at all until they heard Ron grumbling about Hermione threatening to dock points from you."

Fred and George made tsking noises, waggling their fingers at me. "Already losing points from our House, are you, Hayden? That's not very Gryffindor of you!" I swatted their hands out of my face.

"I'm probably the least Gryffindor out of all of us here," I said, finishing off my muffin. "How in Merlin's great name did you not see me? I walked right through the portrait like any normal person would." I pulled a bowl filled with chopped fruit towards me, glowering at the tan hand that was reaching for an apple slice. The offending hand wisely retreated, its owner grumbling under his breath.

Lee shrugged. "There was a point where we went back up to our room to grab blankets before coming back down. You must've slipped in then."

"It's just as my handsome Twin said," Fred said, eyes twinkling.

"You're a sneaky blight," George repeated, eyes shining just as brightly as Fred's.

_I've never noticed it before, but their eyes are beautiful..._

I froze in my seat, a piece of a half chewed green apple still in my mouth, which was thankfully closed and not wide open like it wanted to be. My heart did a weird stutter in my chest before resuming a normal beat, albeit a bit faster than normal. I barely restrained the blush from reaching my cheeks, though my ears felt very hot. 

I was going to pretend that thought hadn't happened. 

"I'm hardly sneaky," I said neutrally, my tone even. I mentally high-fived myself when I couldn't hear a trace of nerves in my voice. "I'm the loudest person in the whole House. You can't miss me."

"I think Harry's got you beat this time, then," Lee remarked, pointing. Harry was, indeed, making his presence known with a thunderous scowl on his face and footsteps loud as he dropped himself beside his two best friends, lips moving in an angry whisper. I noticed students from other Houses giving him disdainful looks, lips curled and eyes burning. Slytherin students, I noticed, were red-faced from holding in their laughter as Malfoy said something to them, no doubt that something being a nasty comment about Harry.

"What's gotten into everyone?" I mumbled mostly to myself. "I've never seen this much drama since our second year when Harry was accused of petrifying some students and being the Heir of Slytherin." All three boys looked incredulously at me.

"You haven't heard?" Lee questioned.

"How do you not know—"

"—about the latest hit with Harry?"

"I live with Muggles, you guys," I deadpanned, frowning. "I don't really get a _Daily Prophet_ every week like everyone else. I cancelled my subscriptions at the end of fourth year after all that rubbish Fudge and the Ministry is forcing down everyone's throats." Much to my Mom's relief. She was getting tired of all the feathers being left behind.

"Over the summer, our buddy, Harry, got into some serious trouble with the Ministry," Fred began, but I interrupted him.

"Trouble? What kind of trouble?" He flicked my nose sharply and I recoiled away from him, leaning more against George to rub the sting away. His hand rubbed circles on my back soothingly. 

"Let me finish," He mock demanded before clearing his throat. "Anyway, Dad says that Harry had used magic with a Muggle right beside him—"

"—and adding on that Harry is only fifteen, he got into trouble with the Statute of Secrecy and the Underage Wizarding laws and was expelled from school," George finished, dropping his hand. I gaped at both of them before looking around Fred to see that yes, Harry was still sitting there scowling up a storm and that no, it wasn't my imagination.

"He used _magic_ in front of a Muggle? But why? If he was expelled, how on Earth is he even here right now?"

Lee leaned closer, beckoning me forward. I obliged his demand, tilting my head so he could whisper in my ear. "Apparently there were Dementors lurking around Little Whinging and went after Harry and the Muggle that was with him," Lee whispered.

I pulled back sharply, mind whirling. Dementors? In the Muggle world? That couldn't be right. The Dementors were supposed to be out in the middle of the sea guarding Azkaban, not terrorizing people who couldn't see them. What motive could they possibly have for even being so far out from Azkaban?

A hand curled around to the other side of my head, pulling me to the side. Shivers raced up my spine when George's lips just slightly grazed the skin of my ear. "Dad thinks the Ministry sent them after Harry that night." It was a sound possibility, considering the Dementors were under Ministry control. "But he says that a lot of the Wizengamot were shocked about the news. He says a good lot of them were concerned and it was those ones who convinced Fudge to clear Harry's charges completely."

"That doesn't sound fishy at all," I grumbled, freeing myself from George's grasp. "Why is it really hard to just accept He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is really back? A then fourteen-year-old boy can't bullshit something that serious to a whole group of students, teachers, and Ministry officials. Besides, Harry is an awful liar. Can't lie to save his damn life, that boy." Said boy was currently being accosted by Angelina Johnson, a beautiful dark-skinned girl who I heard had been made Quidditch Captain this year. She looked like she had swallowed something rather unpleasant as she spoke to Harry.

"The Ministry is corrupt," Lee said bluntly, pushing his mushy cereal away. "Fudge is too popular to be just simply opposed. Support from the majority of the population out rules those who are against it."

A fluttering of wings interrupted me as I opened my mouth to retort, causing all of us to look up. Hundreds of owls, all different sizes and colors, were gliding around looking for their students, dropping morning packages into waiting hands and flying out the open windows once their job was completed. I spotted Finny hovering near the ceiling and gave a short whistle, catching his attention immediately. I held an arm out for him to land on, no longer cringing when his talons dug a little too deeply to stick his landing. His grip loosened instantly once he was stable. He hooted in greeting, flapping his wings.

"Hello, sweet one," I cooed, rubbing his head of stuck up feathers. I offered him a piece of spare bacon from a nearby plate, which he took gratefully and clicked his beak in approval.

"You really love that owl," Fred said softly, eyes gleaming strangely. 

"Of course I do," I confirmed with mock indignation. "Finny's been my owl since first year. He's done a wonderful job for me, too, so of course I'm gonna love and spoil him rotten." Finny gave an almost primly hoot, chest puffing out proudly. I giggled at his reaction to my praise, scratching his yellow beak gently with a filed nail. He nipped my finger affectionately before I offered him a piece of sausage.

"Oh, there's McGonagall." Our Head of House was marching down the line of the table, handing out schedules with a stern look on her face. "She certainly looks pleasant this morning."

"Be nice, Jordan," I reprimanded. "I'd look like that, too, if I had to teach a bunch of snot-nosed children how to turn a tea cozy into a rat."

"So you're calling yourself a snot-nosed brat?"

"Shut up, Jordan." 

"Miss. Walters." Professor McGonagall stopped beside me, handing over a piece of paper, which I took eagerly with my free hand. She gave Finny a calculating look before handing the Twins and Lee their schedules, wandering off to continue handing out the schedules. My eyes skimmed my classes and I almost groaned.

"Double Potions on the first day? And right in the morning, too? That's just asking for death to happen to someone." The three boys winced in sympathy, knowing how pleasant of a man Professor Snape was first thing in the morning. "Ugh, and a double period with Umbridge at the end of the day, too? I'm going to hate Mondays even more than I already do."

The Twins leaned over my shoulders to look at my schedule. "That's gonna suck for you," They chorused before they both pointed to my Tuesday classes. "It looks like we have N.E.W.T Arithmancy on Tuesday afternoons before lunch, though!"

"I'll just be one step closer to losing my sanity having you two in a formula-based class," I muttered sarcastically. I folded the paper and shoved it in my pocket, climbing to my feet as gracefully as I could with an owl perched on my arm. I gave him one last nuzzle before sending him back off to the Owlery with a promise to give him a job soon.

"You took your Arithmancy O.W.L early?" Lee asked, arching a brow. 

I shrugged. "The ordinary classes were easy, so I figured why not give a try. I honestly wasn't expecting to pass, but I'm fine with it. One less class to worry about during my seventh year." I was about to wave goodbye to the three boys before I stopped myself. "Oh, before I forget," The Twins cocked their heads at my tone. "You two should be more careful about what you post on the board in the Tower. I can almost guarantee that Hermione won't be pleased and that she'll be on the hunt." Both boys waved off my words, looking unconcerned.

"She'll be singing a different tune soon enough," Fred said confidently. "You're all starting your fifth year. You'll be _begging_ us for a Skiving Snackbox real quick."

"Why's that?" I asked, mentally wondering what the hell a Skiving Snackbox was. Was that what they were calling their new products? A bundle of some sort, maybe?

"It's your O.W.L year," George said simply. I arched an eyebrow, not understanding.

"You've got your first big set of important exams coming up, right? They'll be keeping your noses so hard to that grindstone that they'll be rubbed raw," Fred said with heavy satisfaction.

"Half our year had minor breakdowns when our exams finally came around," George said almost happily. I secretly wondered if he was a Sadist. He certainly seemed to be too happy about someone else's pain. "There were many tears and many tantrums. Madam Pomfrey had her hands full with all the students coming in and begging her for a Relaxing Draught of some sort before going to an exam."

"It's a nightmare of a year, the fifth," Lee agreed. "You'll discover a whole new world of breaking points that you never thought you'd had before."

Well, that was certainly _kind_ of them to inform me of what the whole year is basically going to look like. Hermione could turn beet red all she wanted, but the Twins chose a good year to start actually selling their products. My year would do almost anything to get out of a stressful class, even resorting to faking a bloody nose just to get a moment away.

"This talk has been positively wonderful, boys, but I'm going to go suffer in History of Magic now," I announced, throwing my bag over my shoulders.

Fred and George glanced at each other. "Maybe if we get to Herbology early enough, we might be able to sell a few Extendable Ears." They both grinned and I found that I didn't like the evilness that was present in the expression. Surprising me with their next move, both boys latched onto my waist in a sudden side hug, squeezing the breath right out of me. Blood rushed to my face without my permission and Lee laughed at my expression. I glowered at him and awkwardly threw a muffin at him. Once I was released, I took a deep breath to calm myself.

"Now that the dramatics are over, I'll see you guys whenever."

"We'll see you at lunch," The Twins said confidently. I narrowed my eyes at them.

"Maybe," I stressed. There were some things that I needed to get from the library, so more than likely, I was going to spend my time holed up in there for most of lunch. Not that I was gonna tell them that, of course. Matching blue eyes flashed wickedly at me at the same time as smirks crossed their lips.

_Okay, so maybe George is capable of making those faces, too._

"We'll see." Rolling my eyes, I was about to wave goodbye when a piercing screech of anger disrupted the Hall. Conversation froze instantly and everyone looked over each other towards the Great Hall doors. Professor Umbridge stood in the middle of the entryway, _soaked_ from head to toe in what was no doubt cold water and looking none too pleased. Floating above her and looking like he was immensely enjoying himself, Peeves lobbed another water balloon at her, flattening her mousy hair to her forehead and ruining the hideous pink cardigan she was wearing.

"What is the meaning of this?!" Professor Umbridge screeched, flailing in place on the wet floor before steadying herself and glaring daggers at Peeves. "How dare you! I'll have you removed for attacking a Hogwarts Professor and Ministry official!"

Peeves cackled loudly, throwing his last water balloon at Umbridge. It exploded right before it hit her face, water splashing all down her front and leaving a trail of pink blush to fall down her cheeks. "Peevsie was just welcoming our new teacher person," He purred, baring his teeth in a grin as Professor Umbridge sputtered and frantically wiped the water and blush off her face. "Do you not like Peevsie's welcoming surprise?" He sounded like he couldn't care less if she liked it or not.

"I most certainly do not!" She exclaimed, face turning red from anger. "I will have you reported for this, I'll have you know!"

Peeves laughed, blew her a wild raspberry, and with a high-pitched popping noise, he was gone.

I was beside myself with laughter, unable to contain it as Umbridge's mouth fell open. Other students quickly joined me, no longer able to smother their laughter at the woman's misfortune of being a victim of Peeves. Even some of the teachers at the Head Table were hiding smiles behind their sleeves, pretending to cough into it to not give us students the impression that they found the situation just as funny. The Twins and Lee were some of the loudest ones, hooting and making a whole bunch of noise in general.

"Did you plan that?!" Lee choked out between laughs. The Twins were wheezing at this point, hands covering their mouths and tears gathering in the corners of their eyes.

I smirked, wiping away my own tears. "I would never plan something as _obvious_ as that, Lee. I just gave Peeves a little nudge, is all." Professor Umbridge chose that moment to make a noise of fury before stomping away to no doubt dry herself off. Pleased with how today was already going, I hurried off to the third floor for my first class.

* * *

History of Magic was, by common consent, the most boring subject ever devised by wizards. Professor Binns, our ghost teacher, had a wheezy, droning voice that was almost guaranteed to cause severe drowsiness within ten minutes, five in warm weather. He never varied the form of our lessons, but lectured us without pausing while we took notes. Many, though, like me, gazed tiredly into space, day dreaming to hopefully pass the time quicker. The class wasn't hard to pass. Everything was found in that year's required book and a quick read of it was all I had ever needed to at least get an Exceeds Expectations in the class for the past four years.

What made this year the most boring by far was the fact that we would be sticking on one subject and one subject only for the _whole year._ That subject just so happened to be the Giant Wars, which was a topic I had never completely gotten into, so I was slightly interested in it. However, as stated about Binns' voice, ten minutes in had me dozing off at my desk along with half the class. Hermione was the only one taking diligent notes and shooting filthy looks at Harry and Ron, whom I could see were both playing hangman on a blank piece of paper.

An hour and a half later had us all escaping the classroom after we were dismissed and Binns disappeared through his blackboard. Not wanting to be lectured by Hermione, I quickly blended into the crowd of students and escaped down to the first floor to get down to the dungeons. Our first break was never very long, so I didn't waste time dawdling for fear of having to face Snape's wrath for being late on the first day. Ten minutes later had us all sitting at our tables and Snape glaring us all into silence.

"Before we begin today's lesson," He said, sweeping over to his desk and staring us all down, "I think it appropriate to remind you that next June, you will be sitting an important examination, during which you will prove how much you have learned about the composition and use of magical potions. Moronic though some of this class undoubtedly are, I expect you to scrape an Acceptable in you O.W.L. or suffer my...displeasure."

His gaze lingered the longest on Neville, who paled and gulped audibly. The Slytherins snickered loudly.

"After this year, of course, many of you will cease studying with me," Snape went on. "I take only the very best into my N.E.W.T. Potions class, which means that some of us will certainly be saying goodbye." His dark eyes rested on Harry's table and his lip visibly curled. Harry glared back at Potions Master, fists clenched under the table.

"But we have another year to go before that happy moment of farewell," He informed softly, "so whether you are intending to attempt N.E.W.T. or not, I advise all of you to concentrate your efforts upon maintaining the high-pass level I have come to expect from my O.W.L. students." His speech done, he began listing off today's lesson: brewing a cauldron of the Draught of Peace. Instructions appeared on the chalkboard with a flick of a wand, cabinets filled with ingredients were opened, and at his command, we all hurried to get started.

Now, let it be known that Snape was not a very kind man and took great pleasure in tormenting any Gryffindor unfortunate enough to capture his attention. His favorite by far was Harry for rather obvious reasons. I remembered a point in my first and second years where it used to be me in Harry's position, but I had never struggled in Snape's class as much as Harry did. Potions was just like cooking. Just a bit more specific. I liked to think that Snape secretly liked me and was testing me all the time. His class wasn't difficult, but Harry made it seem like a foreign science that was beyond any form of grasping a shred of common sense.

Harry's first grade in Potions was already going to be a Troll because he had no potion to turn in for grading after Snape charmed it away because Harry forgot the fourth line of instructions and therefore had his potion turn a dark, smoky grey instead of silver. His mutinous expression showed just how happy he was with the black-haired Head of Slytherin House.

"Cheer up, Harry," I said as we left the dungeons in a group. "It's only the first day. There's plenty of time to make up for one Potions grade."

"I hate that man," Harry growled. "I can't wait to drop his class at the end of the year once exams are done."

I winced. "He's really not that bad," I said, though my voice was weak. It was hard defending Professor Snape when he made it very obvious how much he liked Harry, which was to say he didn't like him at all. The man was very unpleasant and he made no effort to change it for the students. "He's just...he has high expectations for us."

"That's a poor excuse if I've ever heard one," Ron snorted. Hermione nudged him sharply in the ribs, narrowing her eyes at him. I glowered at the red head and rushed ahead of them in a huff, slightly irritated that he so callously rebuffed my attempts of cheering his best friend up. Git. We'll see if I try again next time.

I wasn't feeling particularly up to being hunted down by the Twins and Lee, so I made my way back to the Great Hall, where I was flagged down by the three and saved my normal spot in between Fred and George. The whole time was spent talking about classes so far and me sharing how Potions and History of Magic had went as the boys chowed down on everything in sight and I ate all the fruit and bread around. The Twins and Lee didn't look too surprised by Snape's harshness.

"The man is ruthless," Fred had said. 

"We think he was just born like that," George hinted lowly. "You can't help how you were born, after all." I had laughed at that and we had delved into different topics. By the end of lunch, the Twins had smuggled my first Skiving Snackbox into my bag and shooed me along before I was caught, identical smug grins on their faces.

I was dreading going to Divination. I loathed the class and the teacher, Professor Trelawney, was a complete nutter who had no idea what the meaning of true Sight really was. Care of Magical Creatures had been my first choice back in second year when I was looking at electives, but I was not prepared at the time to be faced with the magical creatures that no doubt lurked around the forest and chickened out. Professor McGonagall had not looked thrilled when I told her I was picking Divination and Arithmancy as my electives.

I easily ignored the misty voice of our Professor, instead half-focusing on the reading that she had already assigned us. The text was rather dismal and horrendously boring, but I made an attempt to read and retain what the book was saying about dreams and prophecies. I was dismayed when she told us that we were immediately starting a dream diary that would last at least a month before we were dismissed.

_I don't even remember what I did yesterday. How in Merlin's name does she expect me to remember a dream that fades away right when I wake up?_

I was slightly annoyed with the amount of homework we already had. Binns had given us a foot-and-a-half-long essay on the Giant Wars, Snape was expecting a foot on the use of moonstones at the beginning of our next class, and now this damn dream journal.

The Twins had jinxed us. That's got to be the reason as to why we were already up to our chests in work. I could already hear them laughing somewhere in the castle.

The classroom for Defense was already almost full with students. I chose an empty seat in the middle area beside a girl with beautiful blond hair and brown eyes. She took no notice that I had sat beside her other than to politely move her bag from the seat I now occupied. In front of us, Padma and Parvati were directing a paper bird through the air with their wands, giggling and smiling at their creation. It gave a beautiful twirl through the air, paper wings crinkling. Seamus swiped at it and missed, but when it flew over Goyle's head, he sling-shotted a rubber band at it, grazing it only narrowly. There was a hum of magic and the paper bird burst into flames, falling weakly in front of the Patil twins as it burned.

"Good morning, children," Professor Umbridge called from the back of the room. My stomach gave a flip at the too sweet voice she was using and I felt only slightly nauseous.

_This class is going to be longer than Potions will ever be._

* * *

* * *

* * *


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Self-disgust filled almost every fiber of my being, consuming me in a sea of guilt and shame. How could this happen? "You love them, don't you?" It was painful to nod my head. "Yes. Both of them." I was the absolute worst.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter. Just Hayden and the family. 

* * *

**No Promises.**

_Chapter T.H.R.E.E_

_"Restricted"_

 _"I'm someone who thinks where there's a void, I need to fill it, but I'm trying to have patience and a little bit of discipline."_ -Ryan Seacrest

* * *

"Good morning, children," Professor Umbridge chirped sweetly, slowly making her way down an aisle with audible heel clicks. It felt like she was stalking through us, like some sort of predator. Her sharp gaze was stabbing as she made eye contact with me. The blond beside me must have felt the same intensity behind that gaze because she was squirming in her seat and looking anywhere but at Professor Umbridge.

_Is this class really mandatory for me to graduate or can I convince McGonagall to let me drop it tomorrow..._

I could already see the pinched expression she would give me if I asked her that question and decided that sticking out the class would be the wise thing to do. 

"Ordinary Wizarding Level Examinations," Professor Umbridge recited punctually with short, precise flicks of her wand. She stopped at the front of the classroom and turned to smile brightly at all of us. "O.W.L.'s. More commonly known as OWL's. Study hard and you will be rewarded. Fail to do so and the consequences may be..." She paused for effect before accenting her next word, " _severe_." Another flick of her wand had the stack of books that rested on the desk behind her rise and move to each desk containing a student. The bland yellow book plopped in front of me with a slam. I arched an eyebrow, completely unimpressed with the cover title.

 _Defensive Magical Theory_ by Wilbert Slinkhard

Wonderful. More magical theory to be shoved down our throats. 

"What the hell?" Mumbled the girl next to me. My eyes slid to her curiously. She had already opened the book to the first chapter and was roving over the first couple paragraphs with disbelieving eyes. 

"Wands away and quills out, please," Said Professor Umbridge to the extreme displeasure of the students. I was rather disappointed we wouldn't be using magic today, but obligingly put my wand in my pocket and pulled out all of my writing supplies.

"Well now, your teaching in this subject has been rather disrupted and fragmented, hasn't it?" Professor Umbridge asked rhetorically, the pout on her face so fake I was surprised she could even make such an expression at all. "The constant changing of teachers, many of whom do not seem to have followed any Ministry-approved curriculum, has unfortunately resulted in your being far below the standard we would expect to see in your O.W.L year.

"You will be pleased to know, however, that these problems are now to be rectified. We will be following a carefully structured, theory-centered, Ministry-approved course of defensive magic this year. Copy down the following, please."

I could barely focus on the blackboard flipping itself at the tap of her wand and words being scribbled down. Had I really been the only one to latch onto her second to last sentence? My neighbor had a confused expression on her face. She had caught it clear as day. 

"Theory-centered?" I found myself questioning. Professor Umbridge's eyes latched onto mine and I pinched myself to hold back a shiver. "What about practicals and—" Professor Umbridge was quick to interrupt me and my temper began to burn. If there was one thing I absolutely hated, it was someone talking over me.

"Students will raise their hands when they wish to speak in my class, Miss.—?"

"Walters, ma'am." My temper burned worse when she gave me a smile and looked away from my now raised hand. I had to fight to keep a nasty curse from flying out. Mom always said being polite would go miles, but I feel like any ass kissing with this woman wouldn't even make me go an inch.

"Five minutes in and this class is tanking faster than my nonexistent Potions grade," My seatmate snarled under her breath. I silently agreed with her. Defense was normally a favorite among the student body, but if this was how the class was going to be taught, I'd rather sit through two extra periods with Snape than stick around. 

"Has everybody got a copy of _Defensive Magical Theory_ by Wilbert Slinkhard?"

There was a dull murmur of assent throughout the class.

"I think we'll try that again," Professor Umbridge simpered in a disappointed tone. "When I ask you a question, I should like you to reply 'Yes, Professor Umbridge,' or 'No, Professor Umbridge.' Now, has everyone got a copy of _Defensive Magical Theory_ by Wilbert Slinkhard?"

"Yes, Professor Umbridge," rang throughout the room. Neither I nor the blond-haired girl said anything, both of us frowning at our short Professor. 

"Good," She said, pleased. "I should like you to turn to page five and read chapter one, _Basics for Beginners_. There will be no need to talk."

Discreetly rolling my eyes, I opened the hideous murky yellow book to the first chapter. I immediately saw what had caused the girl beside me to curse like she had when she had opened the book.

"What is this shit?" I whispered incredulously, flipping to the next page. "Wand placement? Spell definitions and pronunciations? Roots? What are we, first years? This isn't something we should even be reading right now."

What was in front of me right now was something I had barely learned my first year when Quirrel had been around, considering the man and his stuttering made it difficult to understand him ninety-five percent of the time, but it had still been taught and I had passed that exam with pretty good marks that spring. All of us should have passed this at one point. Why make us read all of it again?

"She must think we're stupid or something," the blond muttered to me. I looked at her out of the corner of my eye. She was eyeballing the mousy Professor with a look of contempt on her face. "This isn't what fifth years should be going over right now if we want to pass our O.W.L.'s this year."

_Maybe that's what she wants..._

Looking forward, Hermione seemed to be on the same mindset as us. She hadn't even opened her book yet. She was staring fixedly at our Professor with her hand high in the air. I couldn't remember a time where Hermione had ever neglected to read a book when instructed to, but it was hard to fault her. The book was a joke to those of us who had been playing with Dark Magic since first year.

After several minutes, more than half the class was more interested in watching Hermione rather than reading their books. Professor Umbridge seemed to decide that she could ignore the situation no longer.

"Did you want to ask something about the chapter, dear?" She asked Hermione, as though she had only just noticed her.

"Not about the chapter, no," Hermione said.

"Well, we're reading just now," said Professor Umbridge, showing her small, pointed teeth. It was a scary smile. "If you have other queries we can deal with them at the end of class."

"I've got a query about your course aims," Hermione pressed, nodding at the blackboard. I dully realized that I hadn't copied them down and found that I didn't really care if I did or not at the moment.

Professor Umbridge's eyebrows rose. "And your name is?"

"Hermione Granger."

"Well, Miss. Granger, I think the course aims are perfectly clear if you read them through carefully," Professor Umbridge said with determined sweetness. Ouch. That was a blow towards Hermione's intelligence if I've ever heard one before. Said girl gave a barely there bristle at the jab.

"Well, I don't," She said bluntly, brown eyes blazing. "There's nothing written up there or in this book about _using_ defensive spells."

Many of the students actually looked back to the board and frowned when they realized how right Hermione was. 

" _Using_ spells?" Professor Umbridge gave a short, girlish laugh. "Well, I can't imagine why you would need to use defensive spells in my classroom."

There was a deafening silence as we all registered her words. My eyes widened, surprised. The blond girl stiffened in her seat. 

"We're not going to use magic in here?" She exclaimed, eyes wide in disbelief as if she had misheard her.

"Hand, Miss.—?"

"Terra Blanc." Professor Umbridge smiled and turned away from her. Terra's lips curled into a silent snarl and she gave a huff, slouching back into her chair with crossed arms and glaring eyes. Professor Umbridge addressed Hermione, ignoring Harry's raised hand.

"Yes, Miss. Granger? You wanted to ask something else?"

"Surely the whole point of Defense Against the Dark Arts is to practice defensive spells?"

The smile she was given this time was frosty. "Are you a Ministry-trained educational expert, Miss. Granger?"

Hermione looked abashed, but ploughed forward. "Well, no, but—"

"Then I'm afraid you are not qualified to decide what the 'whole point' of any class is." Hermione flinched back a bit at the reprimand. "Wizards much older and cleverer than you have devised our new program of study. You will be learning about defensive spells in a secure, risk-free way—"

"What use is that?" Harry interrupted loudly. "If we're gonna be attacked, it won't be _risk-free._ "

"Students will raise their hands when they speak in my class," Professor Umbridge said rather sharply, turning to face away from Harry. Ron gave Harry a surprised look, one that the black-haired boy was quick to reciprocate.

"And your name is?" Professor Umbridge asked Dean, who had his hand up.

"Dean Thomas. It's like Harry said, isn't it?" He asked. "If we're going to be attacked, then it won't—"

"I repeat," said Professor Umbridge, smiling in a very irritating fashion, "do you expect to be attacked during my classes?"

"No, but—"

She was quick to talk over him. "I do not wish to criticize the way things have been run in this school," She said with an unconvincing smile. I snorted, not believing her at all, "but you have been exposed to some very irresponsible wizards in this class, very irresponsible indeed— not to mention," here she gave a nasty laugh, "extremely dangerous half-breeds."

My hands were slammed down onto my desk faster than I could stop them as I surged to my feet angrily and snarled, "He was one of the best Defense teachers we've ever had and you are going way too far if you can just insult Professor Lupin for something that he can't—"

" _Hand,_ Miss. Walters! And sit down." I furiously threw myself back into my seat, no longer hiding my glare anymore from the  _racist_ and  _bigoted_ Ministry official. 

"How dare she," Terra whispered, sounding equal parts angry and horrified. Brown eyes were absolutely glowing with fury as her fists clenched tightly on top of her desk. 

"As I was saying, you have been introduced to spells that have been complex, inappropriate for your age group, and potentially lethal. You have been frightened into believing that you are likely to meet Dark attacks every other day—"

"We have not!" Hermione disagreed with barely concealed vehemence. "We just—"

"Your hand is not up, Miss. Granger!" Professor Umbridge ignored her now raised hand and barely spared her another glance. "It is my understanding that my predecessor not only performed illegal curses in front of you, he actually performed them _on_ you—"

"And look what happened to him then?" I said shortly. "He turned out to be an escaped convict and maniac, but we still learned a lot more from him than—"

"Your hand is not up, Miss. Walters!" I could barely contain the scream of frustration bubbling up my throat. Terra's hand snapping over to clench my wrist kept me from voicing another complaint. "Now, it is the view of the Ministry that a theoretical knowledge will be more than sufficient to get you through your examination, which, after all, is what school is all about. And your name is?" She smiled at Parvati, whose hand had shot up.

"Parvati Patil, and isn't there a practical bit in our Defense Against the Dark Arts O.W.L.? Aren't we supposed to show that we can actually do the countercurses and things?" Well that was put ever so eloquently.

"As long as you have studied the theory hard enough, there is no reason why you should not be able to perform the spells under carefully controlled examination conditions," Professor Umbridge reassured rather dismissively.

"She's setting us up for failure," I seethed. Terra nodded in agreement, releasing my wrist.

"Without ever practicing them before?" Parvati said incredulously. "Are you telling us that the first time we'll get to do the spells will be during our exam?"

"I repeat, as long as you have studied the theory hard enough—"

"And what good's theory going to be in the real world?" Harry demanded, his fisted hand still high in the air.

"This is school, Mr. Potter, not the real world," She said shortly.

"But that doesn't mean there won't come a day where we need to defend ourselves!" I exclaimed. "Students are just as capable of causing harm as a fully grown adult. You're saying we should just stand there and take it like some sort of coward?"

"There are plenty of staff on hand to take care of those issues," She said, her smile dropping and replaced with an ugly expression. "There is no reason for spells to be fired—"

Harry continued to argue, determined. "So we're not supposed to be prepared for what's waiting out there once we leave the safety of school?"

"There is nothing waiting out there, Mr. Potter," Professor Umbridge said with a hint of exasperated impatience in her voice. "Who do you imagine wants to attack children like yourselves?"

Harry's reply was rhetorical and completely sarcastic. "Hmm, I don't know. Let me think. Maybe Lord Voldemort?"

Ron gasped. Lavender Brown uttered a little scream. Neville slid sideways off his stool. Terra flinched and shrunk in on herself, looking very small all of a sudden. Professor Umbridge, however, did not flinch or scream or even make any sort of noise. She was staring at Harry with a grimly satisfied expression on her face.

"Ten points from Gryffindor, Mr. Potter."

The classroom was silent and still. Everyone was staring at either Harry or Umbridge. Across from me, I could see Seamus shaking his head with the same exasperation Umbridge had a minute ago.

"Now, let me make this quite plain." The smile she gave us was wary and forced, like she was talking to a bunch of wild, angry animals. She began taking measured steps towards us, making her way past Hermione and towards Harry's desk. "You have been told that a certain Dark Wizard is at large once again." Her next words were focused solely at Harry. " _This is a lie._ "

Harry was almost beside himself with anger, fumbling with his words and struggling to explain accurately. "It is NOT a lie!" He said furiously. "I saw him, I fought him!"

"Detention, Mr. Potter!" said Professor Umbridge triumphantly, turning and marching back towards the front of the room. "Tomorrow evening. Five o'clock. My office. I repeat, _this is a lie._ The Ministry of Magic guarantees that you are not in danger from any Dark Wizard. If you are still worried, by all means and see me outside class hours. If someone is alarming you with fibs about reborn Dark Wizards, I would like to hear about it. I am here to help. I am your friend." I highly doubted she would ever be my friend at this school. "And now, you will kindly continue your reading. Page five, _Basics for Beginners._ "

Professor Umbridge sat down behind her desk again. Harry, however, stood up. Everyone was staring at him; Seamus looked a cross between half-scared, half-fascinated.

"Harry, no!" Hermione whispered in a warning voice, tugging on his sleeve, but he jerked his arm out of her reach.

"So, according to you, Cedric Diggory dropped dead of his accord, did he?" He asked, voice shaking with rage. Memories of that awful night came flooding back. There had been so much noise. It had been a warm night. There had been a sharp popping sound, Harry was sobbing over Cedric, and someone had latched onto my arm with a strength that had been borderline painful. 

_"What's going on?"_

_"Why is Cedric on the ground?"_

_"He's dead!_ "

_"Cedric Diggory! Dead!"_

It still hurt.

There was a collective intake of breath from the class, for none of them, apart from Ron and Hermione, had ever heard Harry talk about what happened on the night Cedric had died. They stared avidly from Harry to Professor Umbridge, who had raised her eyes and was staring at him without a trace of a fake smile on her face.

"Cedric Diggory's death was a tragic accident," She said coldly.

"It was murder!" Harry exclaimed, still shaking. "Voldemort killed him, and you know it!"

I heard Terra's breath hitch beside me and before I knew it, she, too, was on her feet and slamming her hands down on her desk louder than I had done. Her face was blazing with fury and her lips were pulled into a frightening snarl as she gained the whole classroom's attention.

"Do _not_ use Cedric's name just to prove a point, Potter," She said dangerously, voice seeming to echo in the small classroom. "He is not some martyr for you to use whenever you need an excuse and he certainly would not have wanted to be used that way were he alive!" She snatched her bag from the floor and stormed out of the room in a flurry of straw hair and black robes.

"Hey, Terra, wait!" She was already gone before my call could even be finished.

At the front of the room, Professor Umbridge's face was quite blank as she stared at Harry. She looked as if she hadn't even registered one of her students had just left the classroom. For a moment, we all thought she was going to drop her composure and scream at him. Then she said, in her softest, most sweetly girlish voice, "Come here, Mr. Potter, dear."

Harry kicked his chair aside, strode around Ron and Hermione, and up to the teacher's desk. She pulled a small roll of pink parchment out of her handbag, stretched it out on the desk, dipped her quill into a bottle of ink, and started scribbling. After a minute or so, she rolled up the parchment and tapped it with her wand. It sealed itself seamlessly so that he could not open it.

"Take this to Professor McGonagall, dear," said Professor Umbridge, holding out the note to him. He took it from her without saying a word, turned on his heel, and left the room, not even looking back at Ron and Hermione, and slamming the classroom door shut behind him.

"Miss. Walters." I jumped when my name was called. "Should you see Miss. Blanc before I do, please be sure to tell her that she also has detention with me tomorrow night at six."

I guess she did notice Terra leaving.

I mumbled a low "Yes, ma'am" and let out a quiet breath when we were asked, for the third time, to read the first chapter of our book. Defense this year was definitely not going to be fun if all we were going to be doing was reading from a hideous yellow book.

Terra's angry brown eyes flashed in my mind and as I glanced at the door, I resolved myself to corner Harry later. He owed someone an apology, I believe.

* * *

The bell rang for class to end an hour later. I was one of the first people out of the room and into the hallway, merging in with the other small crowd of people who had escaped their classrooms first. Behind me, I could hear the whispers of my classmates who had witnessed Harry's shouting match with Umbridge echo in my ears. I knew that rumor would be spread like wildfire throughout the school by the time dinner started.

I kept an eye open for Terra's straw-colored hair, but internally, I knew I wouldn't see her right now. She'd had an hour to disappear and where that would be was beyond me. I cursed myself when I realized that I hadn't been paying any sort of attention to what color robes she had been wearing.

Terra wasn't a Gryffindor, though. Of that I was sure. 

While I was no Parvati or Lavender, I still knew who my Housemates were and was pretty up-to-date with what year everyone was in, especially those in their fifth year. It was highly possible Terra was a transfer student and had been placed in Gryffindor, but after searching through my memories of my first day back, I scrapped that possibility out. There had been no older student amongst the first years during their Sorting and no rumors of a transfer had reached my ears. 

I cocked my head, side stepping a group of giggling Gryffindor girls.  _So then what House is she in?_

It was as I was heading back towards the Tower that I caught sight of twin heads of red amongst the sea of brown and blond I quickened my footsteps, hit with a revelation and calling," Fred! George!"

Who else in Hogwarts would have the extensive student knowledge Fred and George had other than the teachers? They'd be more forthcoming with me than a teacher would be. 

Both simultaneously turned and grinned widely at me. "Hayden!" They called, waving over the heads of the other students. I held in a laugh when they almost hit the head of a small Hufflepuff boy, who gave them a dirty look as he ducked under their waving arms. "Heading down to dinner, are you?" They asked, settling their arms around my shoulders. 

"No, the Tower, actually. I don't have a constant need to stuff my face like you two do," I commented drily, leading them to the wall to get out of the way of the moving masses. Just the thought of eating right now was making my stomach roll. The Twins had made good of their promise and shoved as much food as they could onto my plate during lunch and given me dirty looks the whole time until I ate to their satisfaction. "I actually need help looking for someone." I paused. "Well, two people technically."

Fred cocked his head at me. "Oh?"

George mirrored him. "Who are you looking for?"

"Have either of you seen Harry?" They both brightened at the mention of the boy who was practically an Honorary Weasley.

"He was on his way to the Great Hall. Looked like he was coming from McGonagall's office," George supplied.

Fred snickered. "He looked mighty pissed off, too, if the wrinkles on his forehead and the glare on his face was anything to go by." They both perked up at my sudden displeased expression. "You know why he's angry?"

"Do tell," George pressed, him and Fred both leaning closer to me. I gave them a brief summary of what had happened in Defense with Umbridge and the argument that had quickly escalated between her and Harry.

Fred pulled away, scowling and dropping his arm. "Dad has been saying that the Ministry has fallen a ways lately, but we didn't think it was this bad."

"The Ministry is going against Dumbledore," George said, looking to his brother. "Dad says Fudge has lost his marbles lately with all his efforts being put into maintaining a normal cover for the community instead of coming clean that You-Know-Who has come back."

"You two believe he's back?" I asked surprised, though I immediately felt stupid for even asking considering Harry was one of theirs and the Weasleys have always believed that the Dark Lord would return one day.

"Course we do," They chorused. "Don't you?"

I did believe he was back. All the signs pointed to it, but this was a topic I desperately tried to avoid having with others. I didn't think I could even have this talk with Fred and George, the most understanding Gryffindors our House had to offer. I was a Muggleborn. A wholly uninformed Muggleborn who was only given the bare minimum to understand just what world I was stepping into and who the one person I was expected to fear was. I couldn't wrap my head around how strong the Dark Lord had been two decades ago, whereas Half-Bloods and Purebloods knew most of what he had been capable of. And it was embarrassing to me.

The Twins gave me concerned looks. "Hayden?" 

"I do," I said unconvincingly before talking over their opened mouths. "There's someone else I need help finding. Or rather what House she belongs in." They frowned at me, but nodded their heads for me to continue. I mentally apologized to them. "A girl named Terra Blanc." I was disappointed at the immediate frowns on their faces as they looked at each other over my head in confusion. "You don't know her?"

"We know _of_ the Blanc family," George assured me. "They're a Pureblood family that is almost as old as ours."

"I feel like there's a but in that sentence."

"Well," Fred hesitated, unsure. "They're kind of disgraced right now." I blinked in surprise and Fred hurriedly said, "Somewhere down the line, one of their own married a Muggle and tainted their bloodline. That's a big taboo among the older Pureblood families." I immediately thought of Malfoy and his family, whom were influentially powerful and, despite their prejudice and racist words, were quite popular in the Wizarding world at large.

"How big of a taboo are we talking about?" I asked, fingers clenching around my robes. I didn't want to know the answer and I didn't know why the question had even left my mouth, but it had and there was no taking it back. The lull of the students moving around us seemed to be like background noise. It was acknowledged but ultimately ignored. 

George pursed his lips. Fred couldn't even look my way, finding the wall much more interesting. Neither boy seemed to like the direction this was going. "It depends on the family," George finally said. His arm had never left my shoulder and it tightened against my neck. "Ours wouldn't really mind. There'd be some tension, but that fades with time."

"Other families, however," Fred murmured, crossing his arms, "don't take well to such a thing. Take the Malfoys for example. If one of their own ran off with a Muggle, their name would be burned off their family tree and the name Malfoy stripped from them." Gunmetal eyes cut to me. "Think of it like banishment. Except there are no chances for redemption. It's permanent." 

I tried to imagine my parents and sister, our little family not as Muggleborns, but as Purebloods. Would it be the same for us? If I didn't marry into another pure family, would they look at me with the disgust I had seen so many times on Malfoy's face? Would they look at me in disappointment and decide that I wasn't worthy to carry their name anymore? 

My blood chilled at the thought. 

"That's horrible," I said. The bandages on my hand kept my nails from digging into my burns, but my other hand wasn't so lucky. Horrible, indeed. 

Fred shrugged casually, but it was obvious that he agreed. "That's how it's always been. The older families haven't changed their ways in centuries. It's very unlikely to happen." 

"Yours did," I retorted. 

"Ours has never been all over that Pureblood Supremacy shit," Fred countered. George's arm slid from my shoulders as he shifted around me to stand beside his brother. Side by side, they were an intimidating duo without grins or mischief visible on their faces. 

"And the Blancs are?" I asked, arching an eyebrow. "How do you know how they feel about this?" 

The Twins exchanged silent looks. "Whenever something like this happens to a Pureblood family," Fred began. 

"It causes quite a stir amongst the other families," George finished. "They can't help but be nosy and the want to know what happened is an urge we can't resist. You'd be surprised at the scandals Dad has heard at the Ministry due to people talking."

I didn't miss the hidden meaning behind his words. "The Blancs aren't just disgraced because one of their own married a Muggle, are they?" 

"They're not," They both confirmed. "Though we don't know what for. Dad didn't want to talk about it with us." That last part seemed to miff both brothers, disgruntled looks twisting their lips in displeasure. 

Biting my lip, I decided that I had done more digging on Terra than I had actually meant to. Whether she was a direct member or a distant descendant of the Blanc family, the conversation was starting to dig into a personal area that was borderline invasive since I'd hardly said more than two words to the girl I barely knew. I'd only wanted to know what House she was in. And instead, I was learning more than I had originally bargained for. 

If I was in Terra's position and realized someone had been digging in delicate family history, not even the teachers would be able to contain my fury. I could only hope I could make it up to her before she found out what I'd learned. 

"So you don't know what House this girl is in?" I reiterated, attempting to drag the topic back to its original question. 

Fred frowned. "Maybe if we did some research and asking around, we'd be able to give you an answer, but as of right now _—_ "

" _—_ we're sorry to say that we don't know anyone named Terra amongst our long list of informants." George gave me such a sad look that I wanted to desperately say something to make him smile again. Seeing either of the Twins sad was wrong on their normally laughing faces. "We weren't even aware that a member of the Blanc family was here at Hogwarts right now. Most of the children from that family go to Beauxbatons since they're mainly in France and not here in Scotland."

To say I was disappointed was a complete understatement, but I tried not to let it show on my face. Upset frowns on their faces told me I was failing.

"Well, thanks, anyway, you two," I said, smiling good-naturedly at them. Noticing the expressions hadn't let up, I quickly said, "It's fine, you guys. Really, it's not a big deal. It's not something to be upset about if you don't know someone."

"But still," Fred started, looking to his Twin for help, but I cut him off.

"It's _fine_ ," I insisted, subconsciously reaching out and grabbing one of his hands. It was much larger than mine and was burning hot. I almost released it, but resisted the urge. Mom and I did this a lot to Dad or Hailey since we were the most touchy feely out of our small family of four and it brought us a feeling of reassurance. Doing this to Fred was no different than doing this to Mom.

_Keep telling yourself that._

"Don't be too upset about it." I reached up to tug at a side of Fred's mouth with a pointer finger, tugging it up into a forced smile. "You two helped me at least locate Harry. That's half of my work load taken care of." I let go of his hand and pulled my finger away from his mouth. "Speaking of Harry, I need to go catch him before he disappears again." I smiled sarcastically. "I don't have the time to chase the Boy Wonder around when I already have a lot of homework to get through before Wednesday."

The two redheads nodded in understanding. "How're you holding up?" Fred asked smirking. "Used any of our products in the Snackbox yet?" 

I patted my bag. "Not yet. Considering I have Arithmancy with you two tomorrow, I'm kind of tempted, though." 

George laughed. "Vector will be able to tell you're fibbing in a heartbeat." 

"Lucky for me that my acting skills are pretty good then. Anyway, I'll see you two later. I've gotta catch Harry before it gets too late." 

"Even if he's not in the Great Hall anymore, just look for Ron or Hermione," Fred advised, his familiar grin making an appearance. "Wherever they are, Harry won't be far."

"It helps that he has quite a few enemies now that his name is practically mud," George teased.

I laughed. "Neither of you are wrong there."

On top of the Ministry dragging Harry down, now that Umbridge was here, The Boy Who Lived was quickly becoming The Boy Who Lies to the entire student body who were Ministry supporters, specifically the Pureblooded children. So long as Umbridge remained, his fifth year was not going to go smoothly, which really sucked since it was our O.W.L year and he should be worrying more about those tests than a Ministry Official terrorizing him in class.

_I wonder..._

"You know, Georgie, I've never seen her smile like that before," Fred commented, eyes sparkling.

George nodded approvingly. "I agree. That's the look of a plan being born, Freddie. Care to share, Hayden dear?"

I struggled not to visibly react to _that_ particular endearment. "I have some ideas," I said slowly, thoughts swirling in circles around my head, "but I need time to think. I promise to get back to you both on what I have in mind."

"We'll hold you to that," Fred vowed, holding up his pinky. Knowing a universal sign when I see one, I linked my pinky around his and copied the action with George when he held his own pinky up.

"I won't forget," I promised. I choked a bit on saliva when they both lunged towards me and wrapped their arms across my shoulders to hug me to both of their chests. Hands ruffled my hair roughly and I shoved them both away with a mock snarl and took off down the hall to the Great Hall, their laughter echoing behind me in the now empty hall.

True to their words, Harry was quickly spotted beside Ron and Hermione with a clenched jaw and a knife and fork fisted tightly in both his hands. If it had been anyone else, I would've been wondering if they were plotting some sort of murder with that tight of a grip, but since it was Harry and he was a known bleeding heart, I wasn't too concerned for anyone's safety. I could understand his anger, though, as the showdown between him and Umbridge had already travelled among the students quite fast even for Hogwarts standards.

Through the bewitched ceiling, I could see that it was raining harshly outside. Puddles of water had been trudged in from those who had Herbology and Care of Magical Creatures. Filch was nearby grumbling and growling under his breath, furiously mopping up the puddles with Mrs. Norris sitting contently a few feet away.

Hermione noticed my approaching form and nudged Harry, who turned to face me with a hearty scowl on his face.

"Don't give me attitude, Harry," I warned, arching an eyebrow challengingly. "That will be the last thing you will ever do to me."

He took a deep visible breath and asked calmly, "What do you need, Hayden?"

I nodded in approval. "Thank you. I want to talk to you about Defense." The scowl was back. "It's not what you're probably thinking. I already told you that I'm not here for a fight."

"What other reason could you possibly be here for then?" Ron asked rudely. Hermione glared and slapped him on the back roughly.

"I think you were out of line bringing Cedric up like you did," I said bluntly. Harry's eyes furrowed, confused. "I don't know if you realized this or not, but Cedric is still a sore spot for some people. Particularly the girl who I sat beside today. You bringing him up like you had against someone like Umbridge wasn't the smartest move on your part."

Harry was silent for a long while, watching me warily. "What are you trying to ask me?" I smiled. At least he got the underlying message I was sending him.

"I want you to apologize to her." He opened his mouth. "You might not think you did anything wrong, but I think Terra was really close to Cedric and you greatly offended her with how you were stomping on Cedric's name like you were. You don't need anymore enemies right now, Harry. I think it would be in your best interest to find her and apologize and just talk to her. She seems like a good person to have on your side right now especially with all of this drama going on."

Terra wasn't a child. She was old enough to pick and choose her own battles. The same could be said about Harry. It baffled me to a slight degree that I was going the extra mile for a stranger who had been slighted by something someone in my House had carelessly said, but something in my gut was telling me to roll with it. That she would prove to be an important ally to have. 

I've learned to trust my gut over the years after being proven how accurate the feeling is. 

I turned to Hermione, the voice of reason in this group. "Please make sure he at least makes an attempt." My eyes narrowed. "Be assured that I will find out if you have or haven't talked to her within the next day or two. I hear and see everything that goes on in Gryffindor Tower better than Lavender does."

* * *

I wasn't a procrastinator when it came to homework. Well, scratch that. I put off certain subjects, but it was rare that I didn't ever turn in at least the majority of an assignment. Points were points no matter what. They could always be made up. I wasn't sure if it was just because it was the very first day, but I took one look at the four assignments organized neatly on my bed and promptly threw them back in my bag. 

They'd get done. But definitely not tonight. 

Lavender and Parvati had giggled and pointed their fingers at their own bags, which was full of their own papers that needed to be done. "We felt the same," Parvati said, running her fingers through her hair after pulling out her ponytail. She accepted the hairbrush Lavender passed her. 

"It's only day one of classes and we're already packed," Lavender sighed, flopping back onto her pillows. "Merlin damn us all." 

A barely concealed snort from Hermione's bed told us how much she thought of that statement. 

* * *


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Self-disgust filled almost every fiber of my being, consuming me in a sea of guilt and shame. How could this happen? "You love them, don't you?" It was painful to nod my head. "Yes. Both of them." I was the absolute worst.

**Disclaimer:** I still don't own Harry Potter. Just Hayden, her family, and Terra.

* * *

**No Promises.**

_Chapter F.O.U.R._

_"Displeasure"_

 _"If you are irritated by every rub, how will your mirror be polished?"_ -Rumi

* * *

Breakfast the next morning was...painful, to say the least. 

"Glaring at her isn't gonna change anything, you two," I reminded softly from my usual spot between the Twins as they glared daggers at one female Prefect, who was studiously ignoring them. Hermione's eyes never left the book she was reading through as she carefully ate her cereal. Beside her, Ron spoke quietly to Harry, who definitely looked like he had woken up on the wrong side of the bed this morning.

Trelawney's dream diary assignment was being put off to the side as I could bullshit a dream just as easily as the next person, so, after waking a whole hour earlier, I was instead putting the final touches on Binns' essay, relieved that I had managed to get the length he had asked for. I was reluctant to start Snape's essay, but since it was Snape and I needed the grade, I vowed to start it during dinner after Herbology ended.

"It sure makes me feel better," Fred grumbled spitefully, stabbing at his oatmeal.

"Threatening to write to our Mum," George snorted, rolling his eyes heavenward, but I knew deep down, he was taking the threat seriously. "What are we, a bunch of first years tattling on one another for some stupid reason? She's being ridiculous."

"She's just doing what a Prefect is supposed to do," I soothed, phrasing my words neutrally as I gently packed away my essay. "You two should've known better anyway. What were you thinking, using some of your products on some first years in the middle of the common room like that?"

"It was us conducting business," George defended.

"And it's not like there was any lasting effects on them," Fred added his own two cents, looking affronted. "They willingly volunteered."

_Probably because you two promised to pay them for the trouble of willingly eating a pastel that was meant to make them faint._

I had only gone to the Library for a brief moment to grab a book I had forgotten to grab, but when I had returned to the Tower, I was met with chaos in the form of the Twins, Lee Jordan, and Hermione Granger squaring off with a huddle of first years sitting around the three boys. Hermione had been horrifyingly livid when she had seen the Twins giving untested products to a bundle of first years, protesting that it could be dangerous for them and that the three should stop. The Twins, of course, had brushed off her shouts and threats easily until she threatened to write to one Molly Weasley about what they were doing.

That had definitely gotten them to shut up. 

Hermione had left that fight looking very irritated—a part of that was probably because Ron hadn't backed her up against his brothers; instead, he had hidden himself at a table beside Harry trying his damned hardest to be invisible—and had gone to bed early after angrily grabbing her homework off a table and storming away.

The Twins had carried a grudge with them to the breakfast table. The rain hitting against the windows and thunder rumbling in the distance certainly matched their current mood.

I took a bite from an apple. "Maybe you should find another business spot, then," I suggested. "Now that you've pretty much ratted yourselves out to Hermione, she's just gonna be on the hunt for you two and Jordan in the Common Room. Why not use one of the empty classrooms down in the dungeons?"

Both boys quickly shook their heads. "That's Snape's territory. We're not getting caught selling our stuff down there by him. We'll lose everything we've worked for in a millisecond."

"You're being silly. So long as you're careful, the dungeons are the last place anyone would expect a secret business to be run. I can practically give you a schedule for Snape's patrols if you really want me to."

"No way," They said firmly, turning their noses up at me.

"Okay, how about Myrtle's bathroom then?"

"Georgie, did she say what I think she just said?"

"I think she did, Freddie. Our Hayden has officially lost her marbles."

I scowled, pushing down the flush that wanted to stain my cheeks. "Then what do the two geniuses here suggest? Do you two have any better ideas than what I'm offering?"

There were only so many open spaces available for anything not supervised by teachers, but there was also very little that the teachers would let the students get away with without proper supervision. I highly doubted a business-in-the-making was something they would allow to just slide on by. And Fred and George couldn't very well just skip class to make a couple Galleons because this was their final year and they had to do good in their classes so that they could graduate. They wouldn't be getting out of here with a Troll in N.E.W.T Herbology.

Fred shrugged his shoulders carelessly. "We'll do what we do best."

"Prank people for a good laugh?"

George smirked mischievously. "Almost, but not quite." He leaned closer to whisper in my ear, like he was about to tell me his darkest secret. "We're gonna wing it."

I reared back and gaped incredulously at them. "Wing it?!" They immediately shushed me, hands slapping over my mouth. Heads turned to us curiously, but most quickly went back to their previous conversations.

"Tell the whole school our plan, why don't you?" George snarked sarcastically, removing his hand first since it was on top, Fred following suit. The skin around my mouth stung from the slap and I rubbed the spot petulantly.

"That's by far your stupidest plan ever," I said flatly. "You two are practically certified pranking geniuses and you're going to go around telling everyone that your business first started out by you winging out your sales blindly."

"We are not," Fred protested in a mock offended tone.

"We have some type of plan," George insisted at my disbelieving look. "We're not just gonna wing it _entirely_."

"Coming from you, that's hard for me to believe," I mumbled, finishing off my apple and placing it on George's empty plate. The two had practically caused a scene when I had only grabbed an apple to eat for breakfast. They had threatened to Body-Bind me and shove food down my throat, but stopped that thought after I half-heartedly promised to eat more at lunch, which I had absolutely no intention of.

_These two will never understand that I don't need to eat as much as a horse to be full._

"What was that, Hayden?"

"Nothing, Fred," I said sweetly. "I didn't say anything."

George shook his head. "Our Hayden is awful at lying, Freddie."

Fred nodded in agreement. "I have to agree with you there, Georgie."

I swatted both of their arms. "I am not an awful liar, you two!" Both merely laughed at me, reaching around to hug me simultaneously. Wondering when the two suddenly became so touchy-feely and possessive, I crossed my arms awkwardly in the hug and refused to acknowledge either of them. Looking through the strands of red that were invading my eyesight, I glanced up and down the other House tables for Terra and was upset to see she wasn't here. Seems she wasn't a huge breakfast fan.

Around us, I noticed several Ravenclaws and Gryffindors getting out of their seats and were leaving the Great Hall. That was my cue to leave.

I shrugged my way out of the arms of the Twins and stood up. "I'll see you guys later. I've gotta get to Double Charms before I'm late." I waved goodbye and hurried after my classmates.

* * *

 Walking into Charms and immediately being greeted with a small lecture about our upcoming O.W.L.'s and their importance was not what I had pictured the second day to go. The lax looks on my classmates told the world how much they thought of it.

"What you must remember," Professor Flitwick squeaked, perched high on a pile of books so that he could see over the top of his desk, "is that these examinations may influence your futures for many years to come! If you have not already given serious thought to your careers, now is the time to do so. And in the meantime, I'm afraid, we shall be working harder than ever to ensure that you all do yourselves justice!"

To add on to that horror, we spent almost the whole class period reviewing Summoning Charms, which, according to Professor Flitwick, were bound to come up in our O.W.L. It was one of the worst charms I could've been asked to perform.

I scowled at the pillow that was ten feet away from me and _would not budge an inch._ Apart from Hermione, everyone was struggling, even Harry, who had used this spell last year during the first task of the Triwizard Tournament to summon his broomstick from his dorm room.

"I hate this charm," I grumbled, trying and _failing_ to summon the pillow to me again. Jesus, what the hell was I even doing wrong with this spell? Professor Flitwick chose that awful moment to appear at my side and watch my attempt.

"Hmm," He hummed, disappointed. I winced, slightly ashamed and embarrassed. "A little more effort on your part might be required, Miss. Walters. I'm surprised," He admitted. "You normally do very well in my class." I wasn't top in the class since Hermione had claimed that spot back in first year, but I was still up there with the students who consistently got Outstanding's on assignments and exams.

My cypress wand was more into Transfiguration work than Charms, which was ridiculous because I was  _awful_ at Transfiguration.

"I'm not sure what about this spell I'm not getting, sir," I said, glaring at the pillow across from me. To my left, Ron successfully summoned his pillow to him, but ended up nailing himself in the face instead of catching it like he probably meant to. "I'm doing the correct arm motions and I'm not mispronouncing the spell, so I'm confused on why the spell isn't working."

Professor Flitwick never got to answer me for Neville's pillow sailed right into the tiny wizard's head and knocked the poor man down. His attention was diverted to Neville, whom apologized profusely and helped the Professor back to his feet. I almost cried when after brushing himself off, Professor Flitwick assigned us to work out a countercharm for the Summoning Charm, expecting it by our next class session.

_You spiteful man._

Double Transfiguration was next and it was almost as bad in McGonagall's class than it was in Flitwick's. She started off her class with the sternest expression I'd ever seen on her face.

"You cannot pass an O.W.L.," She said grimly, "without serious application, practice, and study. I see no reason why everybody in this class should not achieve an O.W.L. in Transfiguration as long as they put in the work." Neville made a sad little disbelieving noise from behind me. "Yes, you too, Longbottom," Professor McGonagall said. "There's nothing wrong with your work except lack of confidence. So...today, we are starting Vanishing Spells. These are easier than Conjuring Spells, which you would not usually attempt until N.E.W.T. level, but they are still among the most difficult magic you will be tested on in your O.W.L."

McGonagall couldn't have emphasized anymore how difficult a Vanishing Spell was after that lecture. Upon setting us loose to practice the spell on some snails, everyone was enlightened to just how difficult the year was going to be when no one, except Hermione, of course, could vanish their snail properly for the whole hour we practiced. 

Surprisingly, right before class ended, I managed to get the spell down. 

" _Evanesco_ ," I said firmly, pointing my wand at the invertebrate before me and watching in utter satisfaction as the snail vanished. Professor McGonagall, who had been watching me, gave a rare smile and awarded another ten points to Gryffindor for the successful use of the spell and telling everyone else to practice the spell overnight with the exceptions being Hermione and myself. Hermione left that class looking slightly put out. I noticed Harry and Ron making a beeline in the direction of the library without her and laughed under my breath.

Despite my laziness, I got into a decent habit of doing my assignments in chunks during my second year after experiencing the tiniest fraction of Snape's wrath for not finishing an essay for him. Harry and Ron definitely hadn't figured that out yet.

To prove that point, I spent the hour break I had writing up an essay on moonstones for Snape that would hopefully at least get an Exceeds Expectations on it. The man was terrifying and intimidating, but he had high standards for us fifth years whether he liked us or not and I would like to get a good grade in his class if I wanted to move forward into N.E.W.T. level next year.

N.E.W.T. Arithmancy was the last class I had before lunch all the way up on the seventh floor with Professor Vector, a stern brunette woman who took great pleasure in dumping bucket loads of homework on her students. Anything Math related completely flew over my head when it was being taught, but for some reason, Arithmancy was tolerable and somewhat mediating for me despite the complicated number charts and the countless headaches I had afterwards.

Fred and George, who had claimed desks in the middle, turned in their seats after hearing the door open and waved me over with wide grins. Both seemed to have finally gotten over their grudges with Hermione from this morning. I gladly claimed the seat beside Fred just as Professor Vector marched in, face set in a firm expression.

"Settle down," She called, settling herself against her desk. She crossed her arms across her chest as the class of thirteen quieted. "I'm not going to bore you with a speech about your finals like I'm sure your other Professors already have," She began, ignoring the audible sighs of relief from some Hufflepuffs, "because I know that all of you will take my exam seriously." She narrowed her eyes at all of us. "I will not tolerate failure from any of you as you are clearly brilliant enough to make it this far." Fred and George gave her exaggerated thumbs up, to which she rolled her eyes. "We have until May to review everything from Heart Numbers to comparing and contrasting Character Numbers and everything else in between. So let's all get started."

"That was anti-climatic," Fred and George said, snickering.

"I'd expect nothing less from Professor Vector," I said, admiration for the woman leaking into my voice.

"I think she's about to confess her feelings for the woman, Freddie," George teased.

"It sure does seem that way, doesn't it, Georgie?" Fred laughed.

I flushed. "Shut up, you twats," I huffed. Both boys took turns ruffling my hair affectionately and after hitting both of their hands hard enough to sting, I furiously tried straightening my hair back into place.

"Is there a problem over here, you three?" Professor Vector asked, eyebrow arched. The Twins gave her winning smiles and cheerfully shook their heads in the negative. Inquisitive eyes turned to me. I weakly shook my head. Behind me, some girls were giggling under their breaths and whispering to each other. Professor Vector stared us down for another couple seconds before moving on, reading from the open book in her hands as she walked down the aisles and lectured us.

"I hate you both," I said under my breath, loud enough for them to hear.

"No, you don't," They said confidently.

"I do."

"Lying is an awful habit to get into, Hayden dear!" Fred sang, pinching my cheek gently. My eye twitched as he let go.

"Stop calling me that," I demanded, though a part of me— _one that I struggled to ignore_ —desperately hoped they wouldn't take my words seriously. "That's not my name."

"It can be," George piped up, writing notes on a piece of parchment. "It's a nickname. Nicknames are part of your original name, so technically we are calling you by your name."

"There's hardly any nicknames you can get out of my name that aren't cringe worthy and that nickname is definitely cringe worthy," I said flatly.

"We could always call you Denny after the second syllable in your name," George teased. "Would you prefer that instead?"

"Call me that and I'll send you both to St. Mungo's for the rest of the year." 

Just my name in general and how it's spelled makes it difficult for a nickname to be possible. It didn't rhyme with anything that would make sense for someone to always call me by and you couldn't make a word out of the two syllables in my name. Mom was disappointed that she couldn't call us by some original girly nickname, but I had no sympathy for her since she was the one who had named me. My sister was in the same boat as me, but she wasn't missing out on anything.

"Well, you might as well get used to it," Fred announced, blue eyes daring me to challenge him. "Friends give each other nicknames. We're your friends, aren't we?"

Floundering at the suddenly serious turn in conversation, I struggled for an excuse to give him. "Friends do give each other nicknames, but not something as personal as that, you dummy. I'm not going to walk around calling you Freddie and George _Georgie_ anytime soon!"

"Why not?" I couldn't believe how confused they both were right now just because I didn't approve of a _nickname._

"It's too personal!" I said, exasperated. "I hardly know anything about you two to go around calling you Freddie and Georgie."

Maybe it was my imagination, but Fred's eyes seemed to _darken_ and an almost fluttery sensation settled in my stomach. My heart was in my throat when he suddenly leaned closer to me with the most roguish smile I had ever seen on his face, eyes dancing and mouth smiling. He was so close that I could count the freckles that were splattered almost artfully across his nose and could smell the peppermint that was heavy on his breath.

"Why not get closer to us then, Hayden?" He asked. My breath stopped entirely at how deep his voice had suddenly gotten and my stomach gave a painful flip. "That can easily be changed, you know. All you have to do is ask us the right questions and we'll give you answers."

My mouth went bone dry and I found that I couldn't answer him right away, my mind grinding to a screeching halt. All I could focus on were glinting blue eyes and a mischievous grin that did funny things to me that I couldn't understand at all.

_Is Fred...hitting on me right now?_

"Are you two done?" I swore loudly and let out a screech as I slipped out of my chair, barely registering the hands that had frantically tried to grab my sleeve, but ended up losing their grip on me. Above me, Cassius Warrington, a seventh year Slytherin, was leaning over his desk with a cool expression that belied the irritation on his face. "It's quite hard to concentrate on Professor Vector when all I can hear is you two whispering as loud as you are," He said. To my horror, Professor Vector appeared at his side, mouth pinched.

"I also have to agree with Mr. Warrington," She began slowly, eyebrows pulling down into an impressive half-scowl, "that it's quite difficult to teach my class when half of it is more focused on your conversations that my lecture." She snapped her book closed and lowered it to her side. "While I have always given my students free reign of where they sit, I am not above making a seating chart if they cannot focus." Quiet protests were heard from the back and Professor Vector silenced them with a look. "It's only the first day, Miss. Walters, but do I need to separate you and Misters Weasleys?"

"No, ma'am," I said quietly, staying still on the floor.

"No, Professor Vector," Both boys said, clearly ashamed.

Professor Vector scrutinized my face and nodded in satisfaction at what she saw. "Five points from Gryffindor for this disruption." She paused for a second before continuing. "And another five for that language. I do not tolerate such foul words in my class, warranted or not, Miss. Walters." Wincing, I nodded and sat up, accepting the hand Fred offered me and letting him pull me back into my seat.

George slapped his Twin on the back of his head the second Professor Vector had her back turned. "Nice going, you git." Fred winced and rubbed the spot, glancing at me out of the corner of his eye.

"Sorry for that, Hayden," He apologized, truly looking upset.

My words thankfully came back to me and I was able to answer him, "Don't be sorry," I said reassuringly. "I don't blame you at all." I hoped he heard the truthfulness in my voice for I honestly didn't blame him at all for us getting in trouble.

The rest of Arithmancy was spent under Professor Vector's watchful eyes and us taking notes on the review she was giving us on Heart Numbers. Fred was more subdued than normal, but he was as cheerful as always and George kept casting curious glances at his Twin that made no sense to me. Once the bell rang, we packed up our things and hurried down to lunch.

"I never thought this time would come," Fred said, stretching. "I'm starving."

George rubbed his stomach. It audibly growled and I rolled my eyes. "I am, too. I hope there's a good spread today."

"You're both always hungry, I swear." A familiar head of straw blond hair amongst the Badgers caught my attention and I froze mid-step.

Ah. Terra was a Ravenclaw. 

I excused myself from the Twins and hurried over to Terra, who was sitting by herself with a textbook wide open and absently eating what looked like vegetable soup. "You're a real pain to find, ya know," I commented, plopping down beside her. Terra startled and breathed a sigh, placing a hand to her heart.

"Don't sneak up on me like that," She reprimanded half-heartedly. "You scared me right out of my body."

I grinned good-naturedly at her. "I didn't mean to. I was hardly being quiet." I leaned closer to her. "Anyway, I'm not really here for a social visit since your House mates are kind of looking at me like I'm a unicorn or something, but I just wanted to ask if Harry has talked to you at all today."

Terra arched an eyebrow. "Potter? He stopped me on my way out from the library this morning, but that was it. Why do you ask?" She blinked in realization. "You're the one who told him to apologize to me, aren't you?"

"I hope you don't mind," I said, feeling unsure at the blank look in her eyes. "You were so angry in Defense yesterday that it only seemed like the right thing to do."

"Why go through the trouble?" 

"Your reaction hinted that you were close to Cedric," I said carefully as I worked through my thoughts. "Harry knows his death affected all of us, but he still said what he did just to prove a meaningless point. That was wrong of him and someone had to make him fix what he caused." 

"You're not doing this just to keep me from being an enemy to Potter, are you?" Terra asked coolly, expression neutral.

I debated giving her a false truth or even lying to her, but I was never a liar to begin with and for some reason, I felt like Terra would just see right through me anyway, so I settled on being honest.

"It's part of it," I admitted. "I don't know the kind of trouble Harry has been getting into lately, but I felt like he could use all the support he can get right now. He doesn't really need more people hating him, especially if they hate him because he was being insensitive. However, I mainly asked him to do it because he had no right to use Cedric like that. Cedric was a great guy and a great friend to everyone. It felt wrong to me if I just let Harry get away with using his name so callously like that."

Terra was quiet for a few moments and I feared that I had made the blond angry with me, but she finally heaved a sigh and said, "I already forgave Potter this morning when he apologized. You don't have to explain yourself anymore." She gave me a barely there grateful look. "I do appreciate you doing that. It means a lot."

The grin I gave her was wide and probably horribly cheesy. "No problem! I'm glad it helped." I got up to leave, but stopped when I remembered Umbridge's words. I was reluctant to pass the message on, but Terra would get in more trouble with Umbridge for not showing up to her detention if I didn't say anything. "You have detention with Umbridge tonight," I told her reluctantly. "It's in her office at six, I think."

Terra gave an impressive scowl. "I know already. The old toad cornered me after Charms earlier to tell me the wonderful news. Ruined my good mood completely, she did. Flitwick had given me ten points for a good Summoning Charm while everyone else couldn't even make their pillows budge."

I perked up and looked a bit closer at the book she was reading. Sure enough, it was this year's assigned Charms book. "You can do the Summoning Charm well?"

She gave me an odd look. "Yes? It's not a hard Charm. It's one of the easiest ones we're going to be learning this year."

Ouch. My pride took a bit of a sting at that. "Can you help me with it sometime? Charms is normally one of my better classes, but for some reason, I can't get this one down."

Terra looked surprised, but she nodded. "I can help you, sure. I'm not in any extracurriculars, so I have a lot of free time after my afternoon classes are done."

"Can we do it before your detention?" I asked. I was eager to get the Charm down as soon as possible so that I could practice on my own and Terra could get back to whatever it is that she does outside of her classes.

She frowned and shook her head. "I probably should've been a bit more specific," She muttered. "I unfortunately have a Double Period with McGonagall for my last class today and it carries on until dinner starts, so it'd be pointless to try and teach you the Charm with only ten minutes of my time when the toad wants me in her office right at six. Tomorrow would probably be better."

"That's perfectly fine," I said. "After dinner in one of the old Charms classrooms on the third floor?" It was the most common place for students to go when they wanted to practice spells outside of class. Prefects routinely checked it after hours for wandering couples looking for some time alone, but we wouldn't be there until after hours, so we shouldn't experience any problems from any Professors or Prefects.

"That'll work." 

"Sweet! Thanks, Terra!" I waved goodbye to her and skipped my way towards the Twins at the Gryffindor table.

* * *

To my not-so-complete surprise, Professor Sprout started our lesson with the by-now-normal O.W.L. and its importance lecture. I wondered if it was smart of the teachers to continuously be talking about our O.W.L.'s like they were. We all knew how important they were by now after our first four years of hearing about them, so any sane moron would take them as seriously as any other final. Constantly restating what we already know would freak out the more anxious and nervous students and Madam Pomfrey would be overrun with crying students who were desperate for a Calming Draught before we could even get through half the year.

" _Incendio._ " The Fanged Geranium that had been hissing at me gave a high-pitched cry as a small flame burned one of its tentacles. It recoiled away, sharp fangs still bared at me with hate.

"Excellent casting, Miss. Walters," Professor Sprout praised. "Five points to Gryffindor." I high-fived Parvati, who was next to me. A couple Slytherins on the other side of the room scoffed loudly and cast their own fire charms, only to rear back when their spell was accidentally too strong and ended up making the Fanged Geranium they were trying to contain angrier than they already were. "Oh, you boys!" Professor Sprout hurried down the line, pulling her wand out of her sleeve as she went.

"Serves them right for trying to be cool," Parvati sniggered. She murmured a low " _Incendio!_ " at her plant and happily watched it back off with little more than a whimper.

Scooping out a handful of dragon dung, I creeped closer to my Geranium, who was still pretty stingy with me at the moment and gave a warning hiss. "Oh hush," I reprimanded it. "I'm only trying to give you more fertilizer so you can keep growing, you temperamental little thing." I held up my wand in warning when it gave a slightly lower hiss than before and it grudgingly allowed me to place the fertilizer at its base. It snapped sharp fangs at my gloved hands mockingly as I pulled back. I glared at it.

Damn thing reminded me a lot of my sister.

"You're really good with the more dangerous plants," Parvati noted as she warily placed fertilizer in her pot. She snatched her hand back before it could get bit. "I don't think I've ever seen you so comfortable in this class." 

"It's kind of like dealing with a younger sibling," I said absently, hissing when I couldn't pull my hand away fast enough before the Geranium nipped it. "You've just got to be mean to them before they get the hint." 

Parvati giggled. "Speaking from experience?" 

"Mostly," I deadpanned. "Though the class does hold some appeal to me." 

"Have you considered a career in Herbology once you've graduated?" 

I paused. "Not really. It's more Neville's area than mine." Said boy was currently spreading out the dirt in his pot as the Geranium swayed back and forth in what I assumed to be content. "He's got more of a natural talent compared to my clumsiness. I don't even know what I want to do once I leave." 

A lot of us were nursing bruised fingers from being bitten by the angry plants and everyone was dismayed about the essay Professor Sprout assigned us on Self-Fertilizing Shrubs at the end of class. Parvati was quick to beg me to help her with the essay and I ended up following her somewhat reluctantly to the Library after Herbology as we both had a long free period until dinner started.

"This year is ridiculous already," I groaned to the Twins at dinner an hour and half later. The hand that had been burned ached from the constant writing I had put it through today, but remembering Madam Pomfrey had said I could take it off after two days made it somewhat better. I could finally take the itchy bandages off tonight before bed and see how well that disgusting orange paste had actually healed the burn.

"We warned you," Fred sang, sounding very pleased with my misery. Our eyes connected and I hastily looked back down at my plate to grab a grape. 

"Don't get too behind," Lee said, once again across from me. "If you get behind now, there's no catching back up. Not without sacrificing sleep for a couple nights."

"You would know that, wouldn't you, Jordan?" I asked sarcastically, vindictively pleased at the embarrassed look on his face.

"And here I was trying to offer you my infinite wisdom," He bemoaned, touching his hand to his face dramatically.

"If I wanted your wisdom, I'd have asked for it." I speared a piece of salad and popped it into my mouth. The tips of Lee's mouth twitched, like he was struggling to repress a grin.

"You wound me, Hayden." 

"You'll get over it." 

"What if I don't?" 

"Then that's your problem." 

"Okay, you two," George interrupted. "Does Uncle George need to separate you two again?"

My eye twitched violently and I shuddered. "Please don't ever call yourself that ever again." Lee laughed at the disgusted look that I had no doubt was on my face.

George grinned wickedly. "Does it make you uncomfortable, Hayden dear?"

"As a matter of fact, it does."

"Oi," Fred nudged us both and nodded his head down the table. "Angelina's on the warpath." I leaned backwards to see around the Twins and grimaced at the spitting mad look the seventh year Chaser was sporting as she marched towards an unsuspecting Harry.

"She must've found out about Harry's detentions with Umbridge." I pitied Harry for the outburst he was going to get from Angelina. The woman was taking Quidditch very seriously this year now that Wood had graduated and she was made Captain.

"How many did she even give him?" Lee asked. "I thought it was just the one tonight?"

"No," I shook my head, "Umbridge gave him detention for the rest of the week. He has to go see her every day at five until Friday." Lee gave a wince, but didn't say anything as he shoved a piece of chicken into his mouth.

Fred and George whistled sympathetically. "That's gotta suck. No wonder Angelina's all mad. She'd gone to great lengths to request the pitch Friday night just for us and Keeper tryouts and really wanted the whole team there."

"Unfortunately for her, she's just going to have to deal with her Seeker not being there," I sighed, watching Angelina spit and rage at Harry, who was quickly getting himself worked up as well. "Umbridge isn't going to let him go just because of Quidditch. Not after the scene he had caused in her classroom." Angelina chose that moment to storm up to us, her expression thunderous and promising death.

"I don't suppose you two have detention Friday night, do you?" She asked somewhat testily.

"Don't take it out on them because your Seeker has a mouth on him and is suffering the consequences," I snapped, glaring at her. Seventh year Quidditch Captain or not, she was throwing her tantrum onto Fred and George for no reason and that didn't sit well with me at all.

I gave Fred and George props as they both took her anger in stride, smiling breezily at their fellow year mate as their arms wrapped around my shoulders at the affronted look on their Captain's face. 

"We'll be there, don't worry, Angelina," They promised. Lips still pursed, Angelina took their word for it and stomped out of the Great Hall and up the staircases to no doubt go back to Gryffindor Tower for the night. A second later, Harry passed us in the same fashion, bag slung over his shoulder roughly and frowning like the world had done him a personal wrong, disappearing up the stairs a minute later to no doubt go to his detention.

"My sister would _hate_ Angelina if that's how she normally is," I commented idly as long black hair swished out of sight.

Fred and George both turned to look at me curiously, dropping their arms. "You have a sister, Hayden?"

"Just one. Hailey." Just saying her name brought a small smile to my face. We were polar opposites in every sense of the word, but we couldn't be closer. "She's three years younger than me, but she's probably the most headstrong twelve-year-old you'll ever meet."

"You'll have to introduce us sometime," Fred hinted. I looked at him in surprise. He grinned. "If she's your sister, then we _must_ meet her. I wonder how well she'd take the new pranks George and I have been thinking up." George high-fived his brother over my head, grinning.

"I wouldn't waste your time and energy if I were you," I warned. My sister was no pushover when it came to revenge. She didn't tolerate pranks being pulled on her very well, not even from me, and she always got back at the person who pulled said prank on her. I had my doubts that not even the Twins would escape her wrath unscathed. "My sister isn't a very tolerable person when it comes to pranksters. I have to contain that urge whenever I'm home or she very well might strangle me in my sleep."

"We'll change her mind," Fred said confidently. "Right, Forge?"

"Right you are, Gred," George readily agreed.

I rolled my eyes and popped the last bit of salad into my mouth, swallowing before saying, "It's your own funerals. I'm not responsible for any future scars."

It was strange how readily I was accepting of the Twins meeting my younger sister, whom I didn't let just _anyone_ meet. She might call it me being overprotective, but I simply called it me doing my job as the oldest seriously. Since it was Fred and George, though, I didn't totally mind them meeting her one day. Hailey would undoubtedly put them in their place the second they tried to pull something on her and I anticipated that day with great relish.

"What's with you and all the leafy green bullshit?" Lee suddenly asked as I pushed my empty plates away from me. I blinked at him in confusion, frowning slightly.

"What do you mean?" 

He pointed to my plate with his fork. "The past three days that we've been here, I've only ever seen you eat vegetables and fruits, but very few meats. Are you a vegetarian or something?" Fred and George tilted their heads towards me, no doubt wondering the same thing, but having some sense of tact to not outright ask me unless I brought it up, which I never would've without a prompt.

That was certainly a question I got all the time from people who've watched me eat for more than a day, though I never understood why. Mom was the same exact way, though she at least had more variety than I did. Nobody ever questioned her about her weird eating habits.

"It's not that I'm a vegetarian, Jordan," I said patiently, mentally prepping myself for the inevitable outburst. "I'm just an incredibly picky eater. There's a lot of vegetables and fruits that I really like, but very few meats that I can actually tolerate eating."

His eyes narrowed at me suspiciously. "You're not allergic to them, are you?"

"No." 

"So your only reasoning for not eating a lot is because you're picky?"

"I don't eat a lot because I don't _need_ to eat a lot," I corrected him. The three boys looked at each other skeptically. I gave them all a very offended look. "I don't!" I defended myself firmly. "I've never been a heavy eater, but it's not like I'm starving myself. My ribs aren't visible and I'm not an unhealthy weight for my age. I weigh like a hundred-and-thirty-something pounds!"

All three boys gave my slightly skinny-but-not-so-skinny frame a once over. All cocked their eyebrows at me in disbelief. I scowled at them.

"You three, I swear," I cursed. "When did you all turn into my Dad?" Fred and George leaned their heads on my shoulders innocently.

"Didn't you know?" 

"We've always been your Dad," Lee said cheekily. I lobbed a piece of chicken at him awkwardly, which he happily picked up and threw into his mouth. "So what do you like?"

"Not a lot," I said shortly, crossing my arms. The Twins rose at the same time and each grabbed one of my arms and uncrossed them from my chest.

"Come on, Hayden," George cooed, cradling my hand in his on his lap. "Don't be like that. It's an honest question."

"I'm not being anything but honest," I said. Fred mirrored his brother's move, holding my hand in his lap. The tips of my ears burned.

"Then answer his question," Fred pressed.

I took a deep breath and rolled my eyes heavenward. "You'll have to be more specific," I said finally.

Lee straightened. "What kind of meats will you eat?"

"Steak and beef so long as it's cooked a certain way." Lee made a hand gesture, as if asking me to continue, but when I didn't and only arched a brow at him, he gaped in astonishment at me.

"You can't be serious? That's it? You won't eat chicken or ham or turkey or pork? None of that?"

"No. I don't like the tastes." 

He gulped and asked shakily, "Bacon?" And here's where the ball drops.

"Bacon is probably my least favorite thing to eat. I haven't touched bacon since I was little and decided that I didn't like it."

Lee's head hit the table so hard that the plates around us rattled loudly and a cup filled with water spilled all over a first year girl. She yelped and jumped to her feet, holding her sopping wet robes out from her body. She gave Lee a mighty death glare for her age.

" _Scourgify_." I pointed my wand at the girl's robes, watching as her eyes widened in surprise when her robes suddenly became dry. She gave me a beaming smile in thanks, a final glare at the downed Lee, and left the table.

"How do you not like bacon?" Lee moaned into the table. His hands came up to tangle into his black curls. "There's something wrong with this girl." Fred and George had to actively hold me back from reaching across the table and strangling Lee with his own hair.

Later on that night, after watching Ron sneak out with what looked like a brand new Cleansweep Eleven in his hands and saying goodnight to the Twins and a still horrified Lee, I was fully prepared to retire to my dorm to take off the bandages on my hands since it was getting quite late when the portrait suddenly swung open and Harry walked in looking extremely pale.

I paused on the first step to watch him almost stagger his way across the Common Room. One of his robe sleeves was pulled down over his hand, but not even that could stop me from seeing some of the skin there looked extremely red and raw-looking, like he had rubbed his hand across sandpaper. He caught me looking and something on my face must have alarmed him because he practically sprinted up the stairs and the slamming of the boy's dorm echoed down to me.

I don't know how long I remained at the foot of the stairs staring up at the place where Harry had disappeared into before I slowly made my way upstairs to go to bed.

 _She didn't...she couldn't..._  

* * *


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Self-disgust filled almost every fiber of my being, consuming me in a sea of guilt and shame. How could this happen? "You love them, don't you?" It was painful to nod my head. "Yes. Both of them." I was the absolute worst.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter. Just my Hayden.

* * *

**No Promises.**

_Chapter F.I.V.E_

_"Etched"_

 _"I don't need power at the cost of spilled blood."_ -Victor Yanukovych

* * *

Harry was avoiding me. 

Oh, it wasn't one of those moments where he sees me in the hallway walking in his direction and he turns right back around to go back the way he had just come from. No. He was pretending he couldn't feel my stares on him and went completely out of his way to even pretend he never heard me calling his name from across the Common Room. He wasn't being very slick about his avoidance. Hermione and Ron instantly noticed, of course, as his best friends, Fred and George noticed, too, but were kind enough not to push me about it since I was already in a foul mood over it. Practically everyone in Gryffindor knew Harry was avoiding me, but none of them knew why.

"I might kill him," I growled to Terra as Harry walked right past me at the Ravenclaw table without any sort of acknowledgment after our eyes accidentally met. Hermione cast me a pitying look and snarled at Ron under her breath when he whispered something too low for me to hear.

There was a tangible relief in the air from my year mates as today was finally Friday and we were only a handful of classes away from the weekend. Streaks of lightning and the harsh pattering of raindrops against the Great Hall windows kind of dampened their moods, though. It had been a rather sullen and sodden first week of terms and many of us had been looking forward to spending the weekend outside instead of trapped in our Common Rooms for two days.

"Remember that murder is illegal," Terra commented absently, swirling her spoon around her now soggy cereal in lazy circles. We only had Defense together during the week, but I often made it a point to sit with her at the Ravenclaw table during meal times since she was always alone. She never shooed me away or asked me to leave, so I happily made myself comfortable by her side every day. I had even gotten her to come sit with the Twins and I at one point during dinner, but I had a sneaking suspicion that she wouldn't make _that_ mistake ever again.

I liked to think that maybe we were one step closer to actually being friends. 

"Not if I don't get caught," I snarled under my breath. I was never a patient person, but by the Gods, Harry freaking Potter was trying that small patience for every minute he pretended he couldn't hear me. A couple of Ravenclaw first year boys took one look at my face and practically fell out of their seats to flee the Great Hall.

"Why are you trying to get Potter's attention anyway?" Terra asked, looking up from her book. She gave a slow smile. "Don't tell me you _like_ —"

"Finish that train of thought and I will throat punch you so hard, you'll be choking on your own spit till next week," I threatened. Terra's mouth snapped close. "I do _not_ like Harry that way. It's too stereotypical to fall for the so-called _Chosen One_."

Terra didn't look like she believed me, but she didn't pursue the topic and asked, "Then why?"

Because why shouldn't Harry have someone to at least look after him? His own best friends don't seem to have noticed what's been going on in Umbridge's detentions.

There were so many other reasons than just that. Because Harry was trying so hard to hide his sudden bouts of anger and still maintain his cool and I was only trying to help him ease a load off his shoulders.

Because I _knew_ what that _awful_ woman was doing to the students she puts in detention with her.

Because he needed someone to watch his back even when he probably didn't want it.

Because sometimes it was better to have someone from an outside perspective to watch what was going on around him. Someone who wasn't going to be _biased_ because they were his best friends and they would follow practically anything he said.

Because Umbridge was causing him physical harm and he was so adamant about keeping it secret from everyone, including the Headmaster.

I gave Terra's hand, which was carefully bandaged, a pointed look. "Wouldn't you want someone to worry over you after what's been going on this year so far?"

I remembered first seeing it Wednesday during our first meeting in the Charms classroom. She had obviously done her best to pull herself together before we met, but she couldn't hide how pale she still was or that she hadn't noticed the blood seeping through the poorly hidden bandages. 

_"Is that blood?"_

_An instant, "No."  She was lying._

_"What's wrong with your hand?"_

_"Nothing." Another lie._

_"Show me."_

_"Keep your nose out, Walters." It was hissed out, forced through clenched teeth. Whether it was from pain or irritation was hard to tell._   _There was a pause when a wand was thrust into her face._

_"Either you take those bandages off willingly or I hex you. Let me see your hand."_

_A tching sound before bloodied bandages were carefully removed. "Never took you for the physical violence type, Walters."_

My stomach rolled even now just remembering the state of her hand. Red skin that looked like it'd been rubbed against sandpaper, words just barely visible underneath all the red. 

_I will not cause disruptions._

"No," Terra said immediately, eyes snapping back to her book and pulling her sleeve down over her hand. She wasn't really reading the words printed, just staring at them with adamant firmness. "There are better things to be concerned about than what's going on in my life. No offense to Potter, but he's not handling his life so well right now. He has two people right beside him who are willing to listen and help, but he's choosing to deny their help and pretend that he has everything under control?" Terra gave a derisive snort. "Potter's a ticking time bomb right now. He needs an outlet, but seeing as he keeps refusing an outlet, he's only going to get worse and worse."

Terra reminded me of Hailey. Their mindsets were very similar. Both had very little sympathy for other people's problems if said people weren't making any efforts to help themselves and both were more willing to look out for themselves than they were for other people. Not that it was a bad thing, but it was almost like they were dancing on a fine line between making themselves happy or just giving the world a giant middle finger and basically saying that everyone could go rot for no other reason than breathing.

"Don't take my words too close to heart," Terra warned, noticing the conflicted look on my face. "I'm not the friendliest person ever and I'm blunt to a fault. You have your opinion and I have mine. I believe that Potter is handling things completely wrong right now, but that's just me. He grew up one way and I grew up another. I can't completely judge him for his choices."

"That's such a wise way of saying mind your own business," I teased. 

Terra rolled her eyes. "I wasn't trying to give that impression, but think whatever floats your boat."

Finny chose that moment to swoop down, landing perfectly in between Terra and I with barely a thump on the table. Finny gave Terra an appraising look, clicking his beat in that strange rhythm of his when Terra massaged the feathers on his wings for a second. He turned his attention to me and hooted expectantly, clicking his beak when I held out a bit of sausage.

"You're spoiled," I scolded him with no real heat, tenderly brushing his feathers. "Wanna stop by the Tower tonight? I have a letter I need to send." Well, I still needed to write it, but I had plenty of time today to do it. I felt bad for forgetting to write to Mom on Monday like I had promised her, but she would understand. School was school no matter if it was Muggle or Magical. It got hectic.

Finny puffed out his chest and hooted almost importantly, like I was asking him to deliver something to the Minister of Magic himself. He took the last sausage into his beak and I sent him off to the Owlery until tonight.

Breakfast and History of Magic flew by and soon enough, I found myself making my way down towards the dungeons for my Double Potions lesson with the giggling Parvati and Lavender right behind me and Neville a few feet behind them, nervously looking over his essay for the properties of moonstones and tripping over his feet as he walked down the steps. The Slytherins were already making themselves comfortable in the classroom, chattering and sneering together as we all walked in.

A foot suddenly appeared in my way and I easily hopped over the offending limb. A shriek and a crash told me that Lavender hadn't been so lucky in dodging the foot. She was sniffling as she cradled a bloody nose, having landed on her face, while the Slytherin girl, Pansy, gave a cackling laugh with her group of of girls following suit. I helped Parvati get Lavender to her feet, steadying the brown-haired girl when she stumbled and tried to keep blood from leaking further down her chin.

"Clumsy clumsy, Brown," Pansy said, cradling her chin in her palm and smiling mockingly. "Do watch where you're going next time."

"You tripped her, Parkinson," Parvati snapped, fingers hovering close to her best friend's face in an unsure manner.

Brown eyes widened innocently. "Me? I would never." The innocence was quickly replaced with a sneer. "Maybe Brown should learn how to walk properly instead of on two left feet." Millicent Bulstrode gave a brutish snigger. Astoria Greengrass, a beautiful blond, blue-eyed girl, gave a shaky laugh that had no real heart into it. Her eyes seemed to dim when Lavender gave a weak sniffle from behind her hands, but that dim disappeared when she caught me staring at her, changing to cold aloofness in a heartbeat.

Ignoring Pansy's laugh, I pulled my wand out from my pocket and coaxed Lavender's hands away from her face. She dropped them reluctantly, gazing pitifully up at me. Brown eyes were swimming with tears and blood oozed from her nose steadily over her lips and down her chin. "Is my nose broken?" Lavender asked weakly, fingers subconsciously reaching up to touch her nose. I swatted them away gently.

"Can you scrunch it up for me?" Lavender did so slowly with a pained wince, but nodded. "Are you able to breath through it?" 

She took a tentative sniff. "Sort of. The blood is getting in the way."

"Then no, it's not broken. Probably just severely bruised, but that's better than broken." I pointed the tip of my wand at her mouth and said the one spell I'd been using more often than not. " _Scourgify_." The blood disappeared from Lavender's face. I reached up with my other hand to gently press against her nose, ignoring Lavender's wince of pain. "I'm not a Mediwitch, but if it continues to bleed after class ends, I'd go see Madam Pomfrey to get it looked at. I'm almost positive that it's not broken, though."

"I would definitely go to Madam Pomfrey," Came Pansy's unwanted drawl. "I wouldn't trust the word of a Mudblood like her. She could be lying just so she could feel better about herself." I glared at her from over my shoulder, baring my teeth at Bulstrode when she sat up straighter and cracked her knuckles threateningly.

"I don't need to laugh at someone's pain to feel good about myself," I sneered.

"Don't use that language, Parkinson!" Parvati said angrily, bristling indignantly.

Pansy glared at the Indian girl. "Don't tell me what to do, _Patil_. I can very well say what I want to say to a lowly witch like her."

"This _lowly witch_ could hex you to next Sunday if she really wanted to, Puginson," Pansy's face burned and she snarled at the nickname that had followed her all the way from first year. "Watch your mouth. A Pureblood should have more class than trash-talking another witch." Pansy opened her mouth to retort, but nearly choked herself silly when a new voice entered the conversation.

"And _what_ ," We all froze at the deep baritone that came from the back of the room, "is going on here?" Professor Snape glided into the room, dark eyes pinning us into place as they swept over the room and black robes fluttering around his tall form.

"Parkinson tripped Lavender and gave her a bloody nose, Professor," Parvati immediately stated, shooting daggers at Pansy.

"I did not," Pansy lied, sounded perfectly offended. "She tripped herself, Professor! I didn't do anything!"

Professor Snape cast a cursory glance over Lavender's face and a cold pit dropped in my stomach. I realized too late that maybe I should've left the blood on Lavender's face. "I fail to see any blood on Miss. Brown's face, Miss. Patil," He said smoothly, lips curling just slightly. "Therefore, I am under the impression that you are lying to me." Parvati sputtered incoherently while Pansy smirked victoriously. Snape strode past her, saying, "Fifteen points from Gryffindor. Now sit down so we can begin today's lesson. And set your moonstone essays on the edges of your desks. I will be by shortly to collect them."

God, we were just losing all the points this week.

I nudged Parvati towards her desk, shaking my head furiously at her when she opened her mouth to argue back. Arguing with Snape would only lose us more points. Lavender glumly took her seat beside Parvati, looking very miserable for the whole lesson. Parvati spent that whole lesson scowling at Pansy, who seemed to enjoy the girl's angry expression, with Lavender never taking her eyes off her Potions book or her cauldron.

_This is so unfair to Lavender._

If it had been another teacher's classroom, the outcome would've been different, but, I realized, that would also be unfair because the other teachers were _biased_ with their own students. If we had told McGonagall what had happened, she would've instantly believed us. Same with Flitwick and Sprout, but only because what teacher would believe a Slytherin, the House notorious for lying and cheating and getting their way no matter what?

No one would, except other Slytherins and Professor Snape.

I pursed my lips as I absently bottled up the potion we were assigned today, handed it to Professor Snape, and left the dungeons.

I didn't care for the Slytherins. At all. They were a pretentious bunch that looked down on witches like me, shoving nasty words down our throats and just making our lives in general Hell outside of our Common Rooms. They made no effort to be friendly with anyone outside of their own House and never hesitated to bring someone with "dirty blood" down with their words. Thinking about all the spells that had been thrown from that side of the field made my blood boil, but then I remembered all of the spells casted from my side and that soothed the irritation welling up inside me.

I gave my head a shake and threw thoughts of the classroom incident out. I didn't care about House equality right now, not when I had a mountain of homework in my bag that had to be done by Monday for four of my classes.

* * *

I managed to get a good portion of Trelawney's dream diary—rest assured that most of it was completely bullshitted and full of bad omens to satisfy the loopy woman—and practice McGonagall's Vanishing spell some more before Fred and George hunted me down from my spot in the deeper depths of the library. Fred slung my bag across his shoulders sloppily and stacked my books in his arms while George easily carted my struggling body out of my hiding spot, earning us a severely unimpressed look from Madam Pince.

"Come on, you guys!" I slapped the back of George's shoulders, straining against the hold his arms had around the backs of my knees to keep me from kicking him. "I have too much homework to do for this nonsense! Put me down!"

I didn't really care that I was causing a huge scene right now, curious and incredulous eyes watching the three of us walk through the hall like this was a very normal occurrence. 

"You can do your homework at lunch with us," George insisted, tilting his head back to look at my furious face. He chuckled when my glare only hardened. "It's not good for you to hide away in the Library like Granger does all the time. You'll become anti-social."

"I'm already anti-social," I snapped, fisting my fingers into the red and black Quidditch uniform he was wearing. "Shouldn't you two be somewhere else right now? Like, oh I don't know, _maybe the Quidditch field for tryouts_?"

"Angelina would be stupid not to keep us on the team," George said confidently. "Besides, tryouts don't start till after dinner."

"We're the best Beaters she has right now out of the whole House," Fred agreed smugly, puffing up with serious pride. "We're practically guaranteed those spots with her as Captain."

_That is favoritism at its best._

I switched tactics. "I'm not hungry."

"You don't have to eat." I gave George an unblinking stare, arching an eyebrow. "Okay, we'll insist you eat _a little_ , but we won't force food down your throat," George compromised reluctantly. "We promise."

"We just want your lovely company," Fred said, brown-nosing technique on full blast and eyes shining. It was only just barely working. "It's almost tradition at this point for you to be at food times with us."

"I'm with you two all the time," I said, exasperation heavy in my voice. "You see me three times a day, four times on Tuesdays and Fridays, in the Common Room every night before bed, and before some of my classes if we're going in the same direction! Aren't you two tired of me already?!"

"Not at all," They chorused, grinning. I heaved a groan and gave George's shoulder— _holy shit, his arms were_ so _fit_ —one last resounding smack before slouching moodily in his hold. He readily adjusted me so that I was practically sitting across his forearm and his other arm wrapped bracingly behind my knees. I lazily waved at Professor Sinistra, who had frozen almost immediately upon seeing us and seemed torn between yelling at us or to let her mouth hang loose for another couple minutes.

She chose the first option. "Boys!" I had to wrap my arms around George's neck as he and Fred instantly took off away from Professor Sinistra, laughing the whole way down to the Great Hall. George initially had wanted to carry me into the Great Hall before letting me go—"It'll be a grand entrance, a knight carrying the rescued princess from the deep, dark depths of the Hell known as the Library!"—but he quickly relented after I gave his ear a very painful yank and set me down on my feet before we walked in.

Fred gave a roaring laugh at his brother's expense as George rubbed his abused ear with fake tears filming his eyes. I refused to feel bad for him. "The princess put you in your place, Georgie," Fred mocked, smothering his laughs behind his hand as we claimed our normal seats. He pouted when I snatched my bag and books from him before he could no doubt hide them from me.

"This princess doesn't need two fumbling knights to rescue her," I stated primly, sniffing indignantly as I grabbed a bread roll and some butter. "She is perfectly capable of saving herself."

It felt nice to be able to tease with people like Fred and George. They hardly took what I said to heart and always had a comeback ready before I even finished talking, like they knew beforehand what I was going to say. Sometimes I felt like they had a book of comebacks specifically for me some days when they responded a bit too fast to be normal.

I knew I wasn't the nicest person and it showed with the few people I talked to, though why they stuck around with my mean ass was a mystery. Mom always said I got that from her, but I never believed her. Mom was all open friendliness and loved to talk and smile and just be all around bright and sunny. I was _none_ of those things. If it was a pick between myself or Hailey, it would be Hailey who was more like Mom despite the fact that she was just as mean and spiteful as I was.

"The princess certainly doesn't act like a princess," Lee commented, plopping down with a huge sigh.

"You don't even know what we're talking about." 

"I can certainly guess." 

"Well, you guessed wrong." 

 "There they go again," Fred sighed to his brother over my head. "I swear they're like a married couple, George."

"I agree, Fred. They certainly fight like one."

The chorused "Shut up, you two" had both the Twins laughing until real tears pricked the corners of their eyes. A wave of black and brown hair passed us and I was happy to see Lavender beaming at something Parvati had said. Lee noticed who I was looking at and asked, "What's with the happy face you're making at the two Gryffindor Gossips?"

I shook my head. "It's not important. There was just an incident during Potions with Lavender and Parkinson that ended with Lavender getting a bloody nose and us losing fifteen points."

"What?" Fred craned his neck to look closer at Lavender. It didn't matter if the Twins only talked to a select few people. The second they found out one of their own was hurt, pranks would be cooked up and plans would be made to make the tormentor suffer.

"What happened this time?" George asked, glaring at the Slytherin table, which was suspiciously quiet. Malfoy had his head bent towards Crabbe and Goyle, looking pleased while Parkinson held onto his every word with sparkling hero-worship brown eyes. Further down the table, Astoria Greengrass was barely acknowledging Tracey Davies, who was trying her damned best to get the girl's attention for one reason or another.

"Like I said, it's not important. Parkinson was just being her normal, pug-like self." The topic was thankfully dropped, though the boys didn't stop casting looks at the House of green and silver, who never noticed the waves of animosity directed at them.

An hour later had the Twins waving goodbye as Angelina dragged them forcefully from the Great Hall by the backs of their uniforms, face set in a determined frown. Lee and I shrugged at each other, said our goodbyes, and headed to our last few classes before the weekend started.

* * *

We ended an already dreary Friday with another horrible chapter reading session in Defense. Umbridge looked pleased that Harry hadn't said a peep through the whole period, eyes glinting with cold satisfaction. She only gave Terra a onceover, eyes narrowing on her bandaged wrist before assigning us to read the second chapter of the yellow book that was looking more and more like firewood to me with every passing day.

Fred and George didn't make an appearance at dinner, much to my surprise, but remembering Angelina grabbing ahold of them at lunch didn't worry me too much. She was probably keeping them hostage at the Quidditch pitch already. I resolved myself to making myself comfortable with Terra at the Ravenclaw table for tonight.

"That woman is the Devil in disguise," Terra said lowly, angrily shoving mashed potatoes into her mouth, pausing long enough to scratch roughly at the bandages on her hand. I slapped the limb away, much to her annoyance.

"Stop itching it," I reprimanded sharply. "You're going to make it worse. How many more detentions do you have with her?"

"Last night was my last night," Terra grumbled moodily. She looked exhausted. The bags under her eyes were beginning to become pronounced and her shoulders were slumped forward rather than pulled back like they normally were. "The Devil Woman said that the 'message has sunken in quite nicely' and decided that I didn't need another day."

"That's ridiculous," I hissed. "No offense to you or anything, Terra, but why does Harry have to suffer for much longer when you both were causing a disturbance in class?"

Terra dragged a hand across her forehead and flipped her hair back over her shoulder. "Hearing that You-Know-Who is back is not something Umbridge, as a Ministry Official, wants to hear in her classroom. She's trying to wrench the thought out of us, remember? I didn't even mention the bastard. All I did was walk out the door an hour early and I got three days worth of having words etched into my skin by my own hand."

I gently grazed my fingers over the bandages, frowning. "Has any medicine been helping? Any spells?"

"Considering I was using a Black Quill, the etch will scar," She said sarcastically. "No spell or medicine will make it completely better. Best thing I've found so far is just drowning my hand in Murtlap Essence and wrapping it."

"I wonder if Harry has thought of using it," I wondered, leaning to see the boy in question sitting with Ron and Hermione, as usual. His right hand was scooping up bits of pudding, but his left hand was nowhere in sight.

"I doubt it. Potter's not the brightest. He relies too much on Granger and Weasley for answers."

"Harry's not stupid," I said automatically, seeing as she _was_ insulting my House mate. "He's smart."

"But not smart enough to look up what could help his hand heal without going through the stages of pain," Terra snarked back. She had a point and my silence brought a victorious smirk to her face.

"Were you talking about Professor Umbridge just now?" Both of us looked to the girl who had spoken, a blond first year who was wringing her hands on top of the table. She looked close to tears. "She put one of my friends in detention yesterday. She came back crying, saying that her hand was hurting." Green eyes cast us hopeful glances and I felt my heart break a bit. "Can you share with me a spell or a potion to help her? I'd go through the library, but I don't want my friend's hand to keep—"

"I'll brew some extra Murtlap Essence for you," Terra promised quickly. The Ravenclaw first year froze and gave Terra the brightest smile an eleven-year-old could give. That smile got even bigger when Terra pulled a spare vial of said potion out of her pocket, giving the girl simple instructions on how to use it. Said girl barely got the thank you out of her mouth before she was barreling towards where I assumed to be Ravenclaw Tower with the vial clenched tightly in her fists.

"Softy," I teased. Terra scowled.

"Shut it, Carrot Top." 

"Wow, how original. I've never heard that one before." I got a smack for that one, but the lack of bite in the hit told me she was joking.

Terra stopped me from leaving the table early to go do homework, grabbing my arm and digging in her bag. "I've taken to carrying lots of extras on me just in case my hand starts hurting a bit too much. Just don't tell Potter it's from me," She made me promise. She slipped a vial of Murtlap Essence into my hand. "I don't want him going all bloody sappy on me so early on in the year." I had to laugh at that.

"Wanna help me with something?" I asked. 

"Depends on what it is. Will it get us in trouble?" 

I paused to think about it. "Other than I'm not supposed to know about it, not really." 

* * *

I wasn't going to go into great detail how it was that I had come across the kitchens back in my second year. It wasn't some grand big adventure nor was it the biggest discovery I had ever made here at Hogwarts. It had actually been quite an accident. 

I gave the Twins all the credit for unknowingly pointing me in the right direction. 

Terra blinked. "Are we going to the Kitchens?" 

I wondered if the multiple pictures of food gave it away. Or if it was the fast approaching barrels that guarded the Hufflepuff common room. 

"We are," I chirped. 

"Why?" 

"Because the Twins will no doubt be hungry and I don't want to hear them bitch and moan." 

I could  _feel_ the deadpan expression on Terra's face. "You dragged me away from my evening plans to get food for your boyfriends." 

"I highly doubt you had evening plans. And they are  _not_ my boyfriends." 

Terra grumbled under her breath as we finally came to a stop before a portrait of a magnificent fruit bowl. Grinning, I stretched up onto my tiptoes to reach the lone pear, crooking a finger and tickling it. The pear gave a small giggle, twitching and wiggling, before a doorknob appeared beneath it. I pulled it open and stepped inside. 

The kitchen was a very warm room, partly thanks to the gigantic brick fireplace in one corner of the room and the countless ovens that were always being used to prep food. The high-ceilinged room was littered with rows upon rows of brass pots and pans. Magic was constantly being used in here, as many pans were being levitated back into place or being pulled down with the snap of a finger from the three and a half foot tall magical creatures that controlled this area of the castle. 

"Ah!" A squeaky voice exclaimed from the masses who were beginning to realize students were now among them. Huge blue eyes and flappy ears rushed towards us, a beaming smile on their face as they presented me with an armful of some of my favorite green apples. "Hello, Miss. Hayden, Miss. Blanc!" The House Elf squeaked out. The voice was high, undoubtedly female. "Letty has been eagerly waiting for yous to come by, she has! She has many of these to share with Miss. Hayden and Miss. Blanc now!" 

Smiling down at one of the sweetest House Elves here, I squatted and gratefully took all of the apples from her arms. "Thank you, Letty," I said happily. "That's so sweet of you. I really appreciate it." 

"It truly is," Terra agreed, taking her own share. She turned the apple in her hand and smiled. "You always were wonderful about giving us the freshest ones." 

Letty beamed, eyes crinkling shut and bat-like ears flapping. "It is nothings! Letty is happy to help!" Some of the other House Elves called out agreements, cheering and chattering. 

"Both Miss. Hayden and Miss. Blanc hasn't really eaten dinner tonight," Letty admonished, wagging a finger at us. She looked very disapproving at the sheepish looks Terra and I gave her. "You boths must keep up your strength! It is a very important year this year, it is!" 

"We know," Terra soothed. "We've just been a little distracted keeping up with classes." 

"Then we shall prepare food for you to take back," Letty declared, puffing out her chest proudly. Ears perked up at her words, huge eyes latching onto us and waiting for the orders to come. 

"Good thing that's what we came down here for," Terra mumbled. 

I swatted her arm. "We'll take you up on that. Some of my friends are at Quidditch tryouts and skipped dinner to be there. They're both bottomless pits and they're boys, so a lot of food would be appreciated." 

Letty looked absolutely horrified that students had actually skipped a meal, blue eyes bulging and mouth dropping open. Cooking utensils crashed to the ground as the other House Elves caught my words, mortified. And Letty, who I had never heard raise her voice above her normal high-pitched squeak, turned on her feet so fast and yelled "Food!" with so much force that her tan face actually bloomed red for a split second and she nearly sent herself toppling over. 

There was a cacophony of noise around the kitchen as House Elves scurried around, throwing leftovers from dinner into baskets and placing Stasis Charms on them to keep it warm until they're eaten. Within seconds, both Terra and I had bulging baskets of food rushed into our arms. I nearly collapsed from the sheer weight, but managed to graciously thank Letty and the others, all of whom looked immensely pleased with themselves. 

"Please come back soon!" Letty waved as we left the kitchens after putting our apples safely away in the mountain of food. 

"They've outdone themselves this time," Terra gasped as we climbed the staircases to the Seventh Floor. She unfortunately hadn't wanted any of the food given to her and had resigned herself to following me up the staircases as I couldn't carry both baskets without immense struggle. 

"No kidding," I grunted, shifting my arms around. "How did you find the kitchens?" 

"Back in third year. I caught one of the House Elves taking my clothes to clean them." 

"More dramatic than me," I laughed breathily. 

I could feel her eyes on me. "How did you get Letty to call you by your first name?" 

" _Lots_ of begging. She shut her ears in the oven when I first asked to do it." 

"And you  _let_ her?" Terra hissed when she lost her grip, quickly hiking the food back into her arms before it spilled. 

"It didn't hit me right away that she actually did it!" I defended, heaving a sigh when we reached the Sixth Floor. "I couldn't believe she'd actually done it until it was too late." 

Terra rolled her eyes. "Guess it'll take me a while longer to convince her otherwise." 

"At least she's polite," I trilled. I loved the House Elves, overtly politeness and all. They were such adorable magical creatures. 

We both sighed in relief when we stopped before the Fat Lady, who merely arched an eyebrow at our heavy breathing and sweating brows. "Password, dear?" She asked, scrunching her nose suspiciously at Terra. 

I waved her away. "The password is changing soon anyway, so it doesn't matter if she hears. She won't find anything interesting in the Tower, so she won't bother." 

"I love how you make me out to be a petty thief out to get Weasley's Chudley Cannons posters." 

I rolled my eyes. " _Mimbulus Mimbletonia._ "

"Those two doppelgangers better appreciate all this food," Terra cursed under her breath. 

* * *

* * *


End file.
